


The Way Into Your Heart

by moonlight_river



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Double Penetration, Hyung Kink, M/M, Mildly Dubious Consent, Objectification, Obsessive Love, Pining, Possessive Behavior, Sleep Sex, Unhealthy Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-20
Updated: 2016-12-20
Packaged: 2018-09-09 23:35:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 28,948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8917609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moonlight_river/pseuds/moonlight_river
Summary: “If you want me, you can have me.” Yixing promises Yifan. “But only after we take care of Sehunnie. Sehunnie comes first.”





	

**Author's Note:**

> This fic contains some dark elements. Please heed the warnings in the tags before reading.

“You are leaving for New York in two months.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“For two years.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“At least. There’s a possibility that you might have to stay longer.”

 

“Yes.”

 

Yixing falls silent at this. Sehun’s heart aches as he sees the troubled look written on the face of his hyung. Sehun does not know where he stands with Yixing, but what he does know is that he, Oh Sehun, loves Yixing wholly and irrevocably. He would have wanted to stay in South Korea, where he can continue to be near Yixing. But, with his mother’s cancer and his younger brother’s college tuition fees, Sehun can’t afford to turn down the promotion his company is offering him, even if it means having to relocate overseas.

 

Yixing reaches over the table of the restaurant & bar that they are seated in this Friday evening. His hand reaches out, in between the plates and the beer mugs, and finds Sehun’s. Sehun’s heart flutters when Yixing’s fingers close around his own.

 

“You’re an omega,” says Yixing. “I can’t bear the thought of you being in America all alone, with no alpha or beta to look out for you.”

 

“Sehun may be an omega, but he’s smart and independent. He can hold his own,” Yifan cuts in. He turns to Sehun, smiling encouragingly. “I have faith in you. You’ll do well in America.”

 

Sehun offers a weak smile to Yifan in return. He knows Yifan means well, but he would have preferred to bask in Yixing’s concern for a while longer, and Yifan cutting in has broken the fleeting moment he had with Yixing.

 

Yixing still looks unsettled at the prospect of Sehun leaving, so Yifan slings an arm over Yixing’s shoulder, a gesture that is at once both comforting and protective. Sehun’s heart plummets when Yixing responds to Yifan’s touch by releasing his hold on Sehun’s hand.

 

When he was young, Sehun had always dreamed of meeting an alpha who would sweep him off his feet, take care of him and pamper him. He had always believed that only an alpha could be his happily-ever-after. Throughout high school, Sehun barely noticed betas. ‘Why settle for betas when you could get an alpha?’ had been Sehun’s motto. All that changed when he met Yixing in his first year of college. He had fallen head over heels in love with the beta who had come from China to study in Seoul, and four years on, his one-sided love was still going strong, with no sign of ever letting up.

 

Unfortunately for Sehun, he was not the only one who was head over heels in love with Yixing. Like Sehun, Yifan had also met Yixing in their first year of college. They were all in the same group of friends that started hanging out regularly after they had all joined their university’s modern dance club. Like Sehun, it had been love at first sight for Yifan. Like Sehun, Yifan had been loyal in his affections to Yixing. However, unlike Sehun, Yifan is an alpha. Unlike Sehun, Yifan had openly pursued Yixing ever since he first met him. On the other hand, Sehun could only keep his feelings secret and hidden. Sometimes being an omega sucked. Society dictates omegas should be the ones who are passive, who are pursued, and because of that, Sehun could not be open about his feelings for Yixing the way Yifan was.

 

But Sehun would probably be put out of his misery soon. With Sehun far away in America, he can already imagine how things would go. Sehun and Yixing’s relationship will become increasing distant, impaired by the physical distance that separates them. On the other hand, Yifan and Yixing would probably only grow closer. Yixing had always rejected Yifan on the grounds that he wanted to focus on his studies, his career, that he did not want to settle down yet. But Yixing is reaching the settling-down age, and Sehun supposes it will be sooner or later before Yixing accepts Yifan’s advances. The thought of it is enough to make Sehun want to weep into his beer mug.

 

But Sehun doesn’t. Instead, he smiles and accepts the flurry of well wishes from his group of old college mates, promising Jongdae that he would call often and stay in touch, and assuring Junmyeon that he would take care of himself and eat properly. Chanyeol says he would be able to visit Sehun often. He’s a pilot, and flies to New York frequently. Sehun smiles, and this time it’s genuine. Yixing stays silent throughout the exchange, brooding into his beer.

 

That night, Yixing offers to send Sehun home, much to Sehun’s delight.

 

“Ah, but you don’t drive, Yixing. And cabs are hard to catch at this hour. How about I drive both you and Sehun home?”

 

Yifan offers, and Yixing accepts. Sehun’s heart sinks a little with disappointment, but nevertheless, he’s glad to have Yixing by his side, even if it’s just for half an hour more, even if it means Yifan is there with them. They say goodbye to Junmyeon, Jongdae and Chanyeol, and get into Yifan’s car together. It’s an expensive sports car, one that the door doesn’t swing outwards, but upwards. Sehun sits in the back seat, while Yixing sits in the front, next to Yifan.

 

The drive home is awkward, mainly because it’s obvious that Yixing is still upset over the news. Yifan engages Sehun in conversation, asking about his relocation preparations. Where would Sehun be staying in New York? Has he set up a bank account yet in America yet? How is Sehun going to move all his stuff to New York?

 

Sehun answers all of Yifan’s questions. Sehun would be staying in a studio apartment his company had already prepared for him, in downtown Manhattan. Yes, the HR staff in his company helped him with setting up an American bank account, and Sehun has already transferred a portion of his personal savings there. Sehun would be shipping most of his belongings over.

 

While answering Yifan’s questions, Sehun covertly spends the duration of the car ride looking at the backs of Yifan’s and Yixing’s heads. He supposes that this would be what it be like from now onwards, after he’s gone. The two of them, always sitting together side by side like this. Sehun cannot deny that they look good together.

 

Yifan tries to engage Yixing in the conversation a few times, but Yixing is brooding, not in the mood to talk. Seeing Yixing unhappy makes Sehun’s heart ache. But at the same time, a part of him is comforted by the fact that him leaving has an impact on Yixing.

 

Yifan pulls up at the kerb near Sehun’s house. Sehun stays in a small house in an old neighbourhood located at the fringes of Seoul. The house is small and old, but cosy, and the rent is affordable. Sehun thanks Yifan for the ride, says goodnight to Yixing, then lets himself out of the car. Sehun’s heartbeat quickens when Yixing gets out of the car too. He walks Sehun to his front door. Sehun stands in front of his door, key in hand.

 

“Thanks for walking me to my door, Lay hyung.”

 

Yixing stands before Sehun. He’s close. Sehun can see his eyelashes, and the lines on his lips.

 

“You’re going to be all alone in New York,” says Yixing. “When you go home late, who’s going to send you home? When you throw yourself into your work, who’s going to text you to remind you eat? Who’s going to drop by your workplace every now and then, to restock your cubicle with chocolates and biscuits, so that you have something to snack on whenever your blood sugar levels get low? And who’s going to make sure you have enough gastric pills stocked up at home and at your workplace? You always forget to go to the drugstore to buy more when you’ve finished them. Who’s going to make soup for you, when your gastric acts up and you can’t stomach anything solid? And when your heat comes… oh god… when your heat comes…”

 

“I’ll be fine, Lay hyung. I’ll eat regularly, I promise. And my company has always been very good about giving me days off during my heat. I’ll just stay home, behind locked doors, until my heat is over, and… …”

 

“No,” says Yixing, cutting Sehun off.

 

Sehun stops, wondering what Yixing means. No, what?

 

“No,” Yixing repeats. “You’re too pretty an omega to be going to New York alone. You’re going to be a lamb amongst wolves. You can’t go to America alone. I won’t allow it.”

 

Sehun blushes, flattered that he’s been called pretty by Yixing. “I wish didn’t have to go either,” says Sehun quietly. “But I have to. I need this job. My family needs the money.”

 

There is nothing Yixing can say to that, so he remains silent, sad and downcast. The sight of Yixing’s crestfallen face tugs at Sehun’s heartstrings. He steps up to Yixing and enfolds his hyung in a hug. Yixing responds by circling his arms tightly over Sehun’s waist. Being in Yixing’s arms makes Sehun feel warm, from the inside out, despite the chill of the night.

 

The hug ends too soon. Yixing’s body moving away from him takes the warmth away too, and it takes all of Sehun’s willpower not to chase after that body heat. Instead he makes himself stay where he is, rooted to the spot. Yixing takes Sehun’s keys out of his hand, and he opens Sehun’s front door for him.

 

“Go in,” says Yixing gently. “Sleep early. The night is cold. Make sure you’ve got your heater on, and make sure you’re warm enough. Your blanket’s thick and warm enough, right?”

 

“It is. Don’t worry about me, hyung. I’ll be fine. Take care on your way home.” Sehun doesn’t know why he bothers to say that. Of course Yifan would safely see Yixing home. Yifan’s an alpha, and a strong one at that. Nothing’s going to hurt Yixing on his way home.

 

Yixing reaches over, and he tucks a stray strand of Sehun’s fringe behind his ear. Even after the strand of hair is securely placed behind Sehun’s ear, Yixing’s fingers don’t leave his face. His fingers trail down the side of Sehun’s cheek. Yixing is so close, Sehun can see the puffs of air Yixing is breathing out.

 

Yixing leans in, and suddenly, Sehun forgets to breathe.

 

But Yixing stops himself, holding back at the last minute.

 

“Good night, Sehunnie.”

 

Sehun barely keeps his voice steady as he replies, trying to pick up his heart which seems to have fallen to his feet. He lets himself into his house, without a second glance at Yixing. After the door closes, he hears Yifan’s car driving off, the loud revving of the sports car impossible to miss in the stillness of the night.

 

An hour later, Sehun walks out of his bathroom, fresh from a warm bath, rubbing his wet hair on his towel as he walks into his bedroom. His handphone pings. He picks it up and smiles to see that he’s gotten a text from Yixing.

 

**_Lay hyung_ **

_Just wanted to let you know that I’m home_

 

Sehun is just about to reply, when he suddenly remembers that Yixing’s place is a short ten-minute drive from his. It shouldn’t take Yifan one hour to drive Yixing back. Did this mean Yifan and Yixing hung out together, alone, after they dropped Sehun off? Sehun’s fingers freeze over his handphone screen, unable to formulate a response to Yixing’s message. Just then, his handphone pings with another incoming message.

 

**_Lay hyung_ **

_What are you doing tomorrow?_

**_Sehunnie_ **

_Packing my stuff_

**_Lay hyung_ **

_Can I come over to help you?_

 

Sehun smiles. Yixing is so sweet and considerate. This was why he had fallen for Yixing in the first place.

****

**_Sehunnie_ **

_Sure, thanks hyung :)_

**_Lay hyung_ **

_Sleep well, Sehunnie_

 

And Sehun does, in the knowledge that he would be seeing Yixing the next day.

 

The next day finds Sehun panting and sweaty, wiping beads of perspiration off his forehead. He had just finished packing three boxes. He just finished dismantling his shoe cabinent and his bedside table. The apartment his company is renting for him in New York will come fully furnished, so Sehun doesn’t have to ship any furniture over. He just needs to dismantle these, and pack them into boxes, for easy storage in his mother’s house. Should his company decide to post him back to Seoul after two years, Sehun can just unpack these and put back them together again. The doorbell rings, and Sehun abandons the pile of shelves and planks on the floor in favour of answering the door.

 

It’s Yixing. Sehun drinks in the sight of him, dressed snugly a dark grey trench coat, with a deep purple scarf wrapped around his neck. He looks like he stepped off the pages of a fashion magazine. In between gawking and trying his best not to drool, he vaguely registers that Yixing is sweeping his eyes up and down Sehun as well. Sehun is suddenly acutely aware of how scantily dressed he is in his baggy sleeveless tank top. Though it was winter, he was indoors and had his heater on, and dismantling furniture had been sweaty work.

 

“I brought you food. I figured you might need it.”

 

Yixing’s words distract Sehun from his embarrassment, bringing Sehun’s attention to the bags of takeaway that Yixing is carrying instead. They smell awfully good and Sehun moves aside to let Yixing into the house.

 

Yixing deposits the bags of food on the bar counter dining table of Sehun’s small kitchen. He raises an eyebrow at the mess that has overtaken the living room. Sehun ducks his head and smiles sheepishly.

 

Yixing unpacks the food, and Sehun can see that it’s from his favourite eatery round the corner. Yixing lays out the plastic containers of kimchi soup, beef bulgogi and stir-fried vegetables, and Sehun’s mouth practically waters. Yixing smiles fondly at him.

 

“Have you eaten yet today?”

 

Sehun opens his mouth to reply to the affirmative, then realises that he had indeed, forgotten to eat. When he woke up that morning, he hadn’t much of an appetite. His throat was parched from drinking the night before, and he just hadn’t felt like he could stomach anything. He had intended to eat a little later, but in the midst of dismantling and packing, it had slipped his mind completely.

 

Yixing is frowning at him. “Would you have forgotten to eat altogether if I hadn’t stopped by?”

 

To avoid answering Yixing’s question, Sehun slips the disposable chopsticks out of their thin plastic packaging and hands a pair to Yixing. Yixing takes over the chopsticks. Using them, he picks up a generous serving of beef bulgogi and deposits them on top of Sehun’s rice.

 

“You should eat more, Sehunnie. You’re skinny enough, as it is.”

 

Sehun smiles into his rice. Yixing is just so sweet. How is he going to leave Yixing behind?

 

“Last night… you got home pretty late,” Sehun says, voicing out what had been on his mind all day long.

 

“Yes,” says Yixing. He is looking into the bowl of kimchi soup rather than at Sehun.

 

“Yifan and I…” Yixing lets out a soft sigh, his chopsticks immobile in his hands. “We had a long talk last night.”

 

“Oh? What about?” Sehun tries to keep his tone as nonchalant as possible.

 

“I told him that… him and me… it won’t be possible.”

 

Sehun remains silent and outwardly expressionless, but inside, his heartbeat is racing.

 

“Actually, we’ve already had this conversation many times before. I’ve told him that I can’t commit, that he shouldn’t wait for me. But Yifan, he’s just… … very persistent.”

 

“But why won’t you consider him? Kris hyung is an alpha, and he’s tall and handsome. And he’s third-generation chaebol. Anyone would say he’s a good catch.”

 

“I know he is. He has been very good to me. It’s been four years since we’ve first met in college, and all this time, he’s never changed, never considered someone else, despite all the times I turned him down, despite all the omegas and betas that have expressed interest in him.”

 

“Then… why not?”

 

Yixing looks up from the kimchi soup. Hesitation is written on his face, and Sehun senses that what Yixing is about to say is difficult for him.

 

“I don’t know what I want.” Yixing admits at last. His voice is soft, but it carries clearly in the small kitchen. “That’s the thing about being a beta. You’re in between. You can be both. You can be either the alpha or the omega in a relationship, and I can’t decide which I would rather be.”

 

It takes a moment before Sehun can digest this. He had never considered it before. As an omega, he had never thought what being a beta would be like, the choices a beta would have to make.

 

“If you choose to be the bottom in a relationship, would Kris hyung be the alpha you choose to be with?”

 

“Yes.”

 

There was no hesitation in Yixing’s reply. Sehun takes another moment to steel himself for his next question.

 

“What if you decide you would rather be the top? Who would be the omega you choose to be with?”

 

Silence hangs in the kitchen. It probably lasted only a moment, but to Sehun the silence seemed to last an eternity. Yixing’s hand reaches across the narrow bar table, and his fingers intertwine with Sehun’s.

 

“Do you really not know the answer to that question, Sehunnie?”

 

They eat the rest of the meal with their fingers interlaced, and though Sehun tries, he can’t keep the smile off his face.

 

Over the next two months, Yixing is a constant in Sehun’s life as he makes preparations to move to New York. He helps Sehun go through his belongings, decide what to keep and what to throw. He helps Sehun pack what he wants to bring to New York and make arrangements for the boxes to be shipped. He goes with Sehun to the thrift store to donate the stuff that Sehun decides he doesn’t want anymore. The rest of Sehun’s stuff are packed neatly in boxes, and which they bring to Sehun’s mother’s house in Jungnang-gu. He reminds Sehun to update his change of address with the bank, the inland revenue authority and the passport office. He helps Sehun inform the post office to redirect Sehun’s post to Yixing’s own address.

 

Sehun has never been more grateful for Yixing’s help. Yixing doing so much for him allows Sehun to get everything done much faster, freeing him up to focus on his handover for his current work in the Seoul office, and also to spend more time with his mother and younger brother. Sehun accompanies his mother to her chemotherapy sessions, and sometimes, Yixing goes with them too. It breaks Sehun’s heart every time when he sees his mother being wheeled out from the chemotherapy chamber. Each time Sehun signs the credit card payment for the hospital bill, it is a reminder that going to New York is the right decision to make.

 

The days fly past, and though Sehun had been happy to bask in Yixing’s attention, the inevitable day of his flight to New York eventually arrives. His bags packed, Sehun stands at the door of his now almost empty apartment. It looks like how it did the day he had first moved in, bare and unlived in.

 

A car honking on the kerb outside his door announces the arrival of Yixing and the cab he has hired to drive Sehun to the airport. Sehun jolts himself out of his nostalgic reverie and quickly opens the door. Yixing is already at the doorstep when Sehun opens the front door. He helps Sehun carry his luggage, two large glider cases and a backpack, to the waiting cab. When Sehun’s luggage is loaded into the boot, the two of them slide into the backseat together.

 

Almost immediately after they settle into the cab, Yixing reaches over, and he holds Sehun’s hand in his own. It is an hour-long drive to the airport, and they hold hands for the entire duration. Yixing double checks Sehun’s backpack for him, to ensure that Sehun has remembered his passport and visa, and has all his necessary medications‒ motion sickness pills for the flight, gastric pills, glucagon pills in case he has low blood sugar, and suppressants for his heat. Sehun’s heat is only due to come in two weeks’ time, but there’s always a possibility that it might come early, so it’s best to have the them on hand. Yixing frowns, and Sehun knows that seeing the suppressant pills must have triggered Yixing’s worries about Sehun having his heat alone in a foreign country.

 

“I’ll be fine, Lay hung. I’ll be careful and take care of myself, I promise.”

 

Sehun can see that this promise does little to allay Yixing’s uneasiness, but he doesn’t harp on it, and he offers Sehun a small smile instead. When they reach the airport, Sehun’s mother and younger brother are already there, along with Yifan, Junmyeon and Jongdae. Chanyeol isn’t able to send Sehun off today as he’s currently piloting a flight to Turkey, but he’ll be flying to New York in a month’s time, so Sehun will be seeing him then. Sehun is already looking forward to it.

 

They go with Sehun to the counter to check in his luggage and collect his plane ticket. Then, they walk him to the entrance of the departure hall. Sehun smiles at his mother as she wraps him tightly in a hug. She looks better today, and she has some of her previous glow back. Sehun knows that’s only because her last chemotherapy session was a few weeks ago. She has another one coming up soon, and Sehun knows that immediately after, she would be weakened and haggard, thin and pale, barely able to walk.

 

“Take care of Umma,” says Sehun as he hugs his younger brother. “And study hard.”

 

His brother is three years younger, and a beta. Sehun’s father and mother had divorced when they were kids, and Sehun hasn’t seen his father in years. His mother quit her job because of her cancer, so Sehun’s the one putting his brother through college right now. He’s studying business management. He’s a good kid, and Sehun thinks he’ll do alright. 

 

Sehun hugs his friends goodbye too. Junmyeon first, then Jongdae, Yifan, and last of all, Yixing. Sehun feels his eyes getting a little moist as Yixing wraps his arms around him, but he thumps down his feelings. He’s not going to cry.

 

Yixing holds Sehun for a long time. After a while, Sehun tries to extricate himself from Yixing’s arms, but Yixing holds fast, refusing to budge.

 

“Lay hyung,” Sehun whispers, a plea for Yixing to let go. Yixing ignores Sehun.

 

Yifan steps up from behind, and he places a hand on Yixing’s shoulder.

 

“Yixing, you’ve got to let Sehun go.”

 

Yixing ignores Yifan as well.  

 

An announcement calling for the passengers of Sehun’s flight sounds over the system. Yifan bodily peels Yixing away from Sehun. Yixing resists, but Yifan’s an alpha, and much stronger, and he overpowers Yixing easily. When he is free from Yixing’s arms, Sehun shakily steps back, putting some distance between himself and Yixing. Yixing immediately reaches out for Sehun again, but Yifan slings an arm across Yixing’s waist, back hugging Yixing, holding Yixing in place. Sehun quickly turns around, not trusting himself to speak, or even look at Yixing, and brisk walks through the departure hall gates.

 

The second he rounds the corner, Sehun’s knees gives way, and he has to lean against the wall for support. Sehun stands there for a moment, breathing in deep shuddering breaths. When his manages to even out his breathing, Sehun chances a peek around the corner. He sees that his family and friends are still outside the departure gate where he had left them. Yifan has turned Yixing around, so that he is hugging Yixing from the front. He has Yixing’s face buried in his shoulder, and he is holding the back of Yixing’s head in the palm of his hand. He is murmuring comfortingly into the shell of his ear. Yifan is taller and broader than Yixing, and Yixing fits well in his arms, just the right height and size for Yifan to cradle him, his hold on Yixing equal parts protective and possessive.

 

Sehun wrenches himself from the sight and forces himself to keep walking, one foot in front of another, until he has boarded the plane. The flight from Seoul to New York takes more than 14 hours, and thoughts of Yixing accompany him throughout the flight.

 

When Sehun exits the customs at JFK airport, he spots a person holding up a placard with his name written on it. Though he has never met the other party before, Sehun recognises who he is immediately‒ Kim Minseok, personal assistant to Lu Han, CEO (Seungja Corporation, U.S.A. Office). Everyone in Seungja Corporation knows Kim Minseok, because he’s the gateway to Lu Han, younger son of the chaebol that owns the company. Lu Han’s older brother, Baekhyun, assists their father in heading the Seoul office. It’s a good arrangement within the family, the older son being groomed to take over the head office, while the younger son helms the overseas subsidiary. Anyone who wants to approach Lu Han, whether it is to arrange for a meeting or get Lu Han’s approval on something, has to go through Minseok first, and this puts Minseok in a very influential position. Sehun is surprised. He had expected someone from his company to pick him up, but he hadn’t expected Kim Minseok.

 

Sehun walks up to Minseok immediately, bowing politely to the older man. Minseok smiles widely at Sehun. He looks friendly and polite, somewhat different from the image Sehun had pre-formed in his mind. It’s nice to have a fellow Korean meet him and get him settled in when he’s in a foreign city. Minseok drives Sehun to the place that the company has rented for him, a studio apartment in Manhattan. His landlady is already waiting there when they arrive. She shows Sehun how to operate the keypad lock, and gives them a short tour of the apartment, though essentially, everything could be seen in a single glance. Sehun likes the apartment. It’s small, but it’s modern and well-furnished, fancier than what he had been renting in Seoul. Minseok hands Sehun the data card for his new America mobile number that the company has signed for him. After that, Minseok leaves, assuring Sehun that he can give Minseok a call should he need anything. It’s Friday, and Sehun only has to report to work the following Monday, so Sehun has the weekend to get himself settled in first.

 

He slots in his new data card into his handphone, and everything seems to be working fine. He boots up his laptop, and is glad to see that the wireless internet in his apartment is working okay. He checks his tablet next, and the internet’s working fine on that too. He unpacks his luggage. Though it takes him a while, having his clothes hanging in the wardrobe, his toiletries in the bathroom, and his chargers and other gadget knickknacks in his drawers makes the apartment feel a little more like home. He takes a bath and changes into a fresh set of clothes, and flops down on the bed. It’s a king-sized bed, and the sheets are soft and silky. He grabs his handphone and texts his mother and brother, to let them know he’s reached and he’s alright. He would have called, but while it’s 1 pm in New York, it’s 3 am in Seoul, so Sehun figures he’ll wait a few more hours before he calls. He also sends a message in his college friends chat group, letting them know his new number.

 

Almost immediately after sending the message, his handphone vibrates. He has an incoming video call from Yixing. His heartbeat quickens as he realises the implications of this. Yixing has stayed up late, waiting for Sehun. Sehun quickly answers the call.

 

“Sehunnie.”

 

The sound of Yixing’s voice instantly causes tears to spring into his eyes, but Sehun is quick to blink them away. Yixing is smiling, happy to see Sehun. Sehun sees that Yixing is in his bedroom, in his sleep wear. Sehun assures him that he is alright, and has settled in well. He gives Yixing a tour of his apartment, walking through the different living spaces, tilting his handphone so that the camera takes in the visuals for Yixing. Yixing is suitably impressed, happy that Sehun’s living conditions are good. Sehun lies back down on the bed. Lying on the soft mattress, Sehun tells Yixing about Minseok meeting him at the airport, and how Minseok has invited him for dinner tomorrow. Talking to Yixing relaxes Sehun. Before this, Sehun hadn’t even realised how tense he had been, stressed about moving into a new environment. As Sehun relaxes, he becomes more and more sleepy, tired out after the long flight. He falls asleep talking to Yixing.

 

When Sehun wakes up, it’s the early hours of the morning. He’s going have to adjust his body clock. Belatedly, he realises he hasn’t eaten anything since the last inflight meal, but he has absolutely nothing in the fridge right now, so he just boils some water to drink. He wasn’t hungry anyway. It’s 3 pm in Seoul, so Sehun calls first his mother, then his brother. Chanyeol, Junmyeon, Jongdae and Yifan have all left messages in his handphone, asking how he’s doing in New York. Yixing has left messages too, reminding Sehun to eat properly and dress warmly. Sehun has done the dressing warmly part, but has yet to eat a thing in New York. Not wanting Yixing to worry, Sehun tells Yixing a white lie that he is. Sehun feels a bit guilty, but promises himself that he would stock up on groceries later.

 

When dawn breaks, Sehun leaves his apartment to explore his new neighbourhood. The landlady had assured him that the subway station was a short ten-minute walk away, and following the directions she had given, Sehun finds the it easily. His office building is merely five stops away from this station, so the daily commute to work should be fairly easy. He spots a small grocery store, but refrains from entering it first, deciding to look for a proper restaurant for breakfast. He finds a café that looks rather promising. Despite the early hour, the café is already half full, so Sehun supposes it must be pretty good. His first meal in New York is a hot latte and a turkey and cheese sandwich. The sandwich is stacked high, generously filled with turkey ham, tomatoes, lettuce and cheese. He takes a photo of the sandwich and sends the picture to Yixing, as proof that he’s eating. Though the sandwich tastes good and Sehun was hungry, he finds that cannot finish it. The sandwich is simply too huge. He stays at the café for a while to read the paper, but after some time, the café gets crowded, so Sehun feels obligated to vacate his seat. He goes to the grocery store he had seen earlier, and he stocks up on milk, instant coffee, instant noodles, bread, biscuits, cereal and some apples. At around 10 am, Yixing video calls again, and this time, it’s Sehun’s turn to chat with Yixing until Yixing falls asleep.

 

In the evening later that day, Sehun leaves his apartment, heading towards Broadway where he’s supposed to meet Minseok and a friend of his for dinner. Minseok says his friend’s from Korea too, and Sehun is glad for the chance to start forming a social circle in New York.

 

Sehun takes the subway for the first time. The subway station near his apartment is Lower East Side-2 Avenue along the orange line, and he has to change to the yellow line at the 34 Street-Herald Square station. It’s peak hour, and it’s crowded. Taking the subway in Seoul is crowded too, but this feels different. All in all, even though New York City and Seoul are both big cosmopolitan cities, the vibes are totally different. Both are busy, both are crowded, but they give Sehun distinctly different feelings. The buildings, the structures, the way everything is laid out, the way people move and talk, the ebb and flow of the two cities are poles apart. To Sehun, though Seoul seems to be actually the more crowded city, New York City seems louder, more colourful. In Seoul, though it was packed with people, the city seemed to flow in a sort-of harmonious together-ness, while in New York City, the vibes seems more individualistic, though it could just be because Sehun was new and unused to New York City. He exits at the 49 Street station. Relying on Google Maps to direct his steps, he manages to find the Oyster Bar where he’s supposed to meet Minseok and his friend.

 

Minseok and his friend are already seated inside the restaurant when he arrives. He spots them almost immediately after entering the restaurant, and he is downright shocked to see that the friend Minseok is referring to is Lu Han, who is essentially, his big boss. Minseok waves Sehun over, laughing at his shocked expression. Lu Han smiles warmly at Sehun. Sehun hastily bows to both Lu Han and Minseok, but Lu Han cheerily waves it off with “Hey, we’re in America man! No need to bow all time like we’re in Korea!” and motions for him to sit.

 

“You must be Sehun!” Lu Han says once Sehun is seated. “Yifan’s friend from college?”

 

“You know Kris hyung?” Sehun is surprised. This is the first time he’s heard of this.

 

“Yeah, we’ve known each other since we were kids. Our mothers are like BFFs. They go for high-tea, shopping, manicures and charity functions together all the time. So Yifan and I kind of hung out a lot growing up. Our mothers kept organising play dates. You mean didn’t know this? Yifan texted me multiple times since you told him you’ll be coming to New York. He keeps telling me that I have to take care of you, or else.”

 

It suddenly made sense, why Minseok was the one to meet him at the airport, why Lu Han is bothering to meet a mid-level manager like him for dinner.

 

“Erm… yeah… I didn’t know. He didn’t say anything to me.”

 

“Well, actually Kris was afraid that you might be intimidated because Lu Han’s the CEO. He was afraid the friendship would get killed before it even started. So he was kinda hoping if you didn’t know, you’ll agree to meet Lu Han for dinner, and after dinner, you’ll realise Lu Han isn’t scary at all, and you’ll be friends, and once you’re friends, you’ll have someone to rely on in New York,” says Minseok.

 

“Wow. You mean he told you all this?” asks Lu Han.

 

“Yup. He knew you’ll be a careless and insensitive prick who can’t be trusted with any form of subtlety, so he didn’t bother telling you all these details.”

 

“Hey! Who are you calling a careless and insensitive prick?”

 

“You.”

 

“What?! Hey, if anyone’s a prick, that’s Yifan. In fact, let me tell him so right now.”

 

Lu Han picks up his handphone and begins texting furiously on it. Minseok just laughs, and presses the menu into Sehun’s hands, telling him to order whatever he wants, cos the tab’s going to be on Lu Han. Sehun’s handphone pings, and he’s got a couple of texts from Yifan.

 

**_Kris hyung_ **

_Enjoy dinner with Lu Han and Minseok. Lu Han’s my childhood friend and I’ve known Minseok for a couple of years already. They’re cool people. You’ll like them._

 

**_Kris hyung_ **

_I’ve already told Lu Han to look out for you. He owes me loads of favours from since we were kids, so now’s time for him to payback. Feel free to let him know if you need anything. If he doesn’t take care of you, let me know, and I’ll whack him on the head._

 

“Is that Yifan?” asks Lu Han as Sehun texts back to thank Yifan. “What did he say about me?”

 

“He said both you and Minseok hyung were cool people.”

 

Lu Han just snorts. “I’m sure he said more than that. What else did he say?”

 

“Erm... He also mentioned that you owe him some favours since when you were kids.”

 

“Excuse me?! I’m the one that does him favours all the time. Or he did forget the time when…”

 

Lu Han’s voice trails off as he types furiously on his handphone touchscreen, no doubt to set the record straight with Yifan as to who actually owes whom favours. Minseok rolls his eyes at Lu Han, and suggests to Sehun that they share the seafood platter, which consists of a whole lobster, fresh oysters, littleneck clams and jumbo prawns. Lu Han pauses momentarily in his texting war with Yifan to order a bottle of white wine to go along with their meal. He barely glances at the wine list as he tells the wait staff the wine he wants. Sehun does not know much about wines so that the complicated name of the wine Lu Han orders just flies over his head. When the waiter brings the bottle over, he pours out a small amount for Lu Han. Lu Han swirls it a little, before smelling it. He approves the wine, and then the waiter pours out the wine for all of them.

 

Sehun finds himself enjoying the dinner. The food is good, the seafood fresh, but it’s the company that makes the dinner pleasant. Both Lu Han and Minseok are easy to talk to, and Sehun soon realises that the office gossip about Lu Han and Minseok are indeed true. The two of them are together. Even if it hadn’t been obvious just from Minseok’s scent that the alpha had scent-marked the omega as his mate, Sehun would have been able to tell from the casual but intimate touches they give each other, the love they have in their eyes when look at each other. Looking at them together like that makes Sehun miss Yixing fiercely.

 

After dinner, they walk to the nearby Ambassador Theatre to catch a musical, Chicago. Minseok had already gotten the tickets for them. They have good seats, front and centre, with direct view of the stage. Sehun likes the musical. Having been in the dance club in college, he can appreciate the choreography, how synchronised the dancers are, and how they make difficult moves seem so effortless. After the musical, Lu Han offers to give Sehun a lift home. Sehun politely declines, saying that the subway is convenient for him. When he reaches home, he misses Yixing so much that he video calls Yixing right away. Yixing picks up almost immediately. It’s afternoon in Korea and he’s at work, but he takes the time to talk to Sehun, telling Sehun that he’s happy that this time it’s Sehun who’s taken the initiative to call him.

 

The next morning, Sehun goes for a jog along the East River. He jogs once a week back in Seoul, and he’s determined to keep up the habit in New York City as well. Its winter, so Sehun dresses warmly in leggings, sweatpants and a running jacket. The cold crisp winter air against his face, and the feeling of being able to stretch his limbs and work his muscles feels liberating. He likes the waterfront views of Manhattan he sees along his run, the Hell's Gate Bridge, and the Queensboro Bridge. He goes back to the same café for breakfast, having the latte again, but just a plain bagel this time.

 

On Monday, he braces himself for his first day of work in New York. He reaches the office half an hour before the time he needs to report. To his surprise, Minseok’s also there too, bright and early in the morning just like Sehun. He scans his access card to bring Sehun in, and he takes Sehun to the staff lounge for coffee first, since the HR staff Sehun’s supposed to meet probably hasn’t reported for work yet. He makes coffee for Sehun using the company’s espresso machine, and Sehun finds that the coffee is good. This already bodes well. Good coffee always makes work more pleasant.

 

It’s nice, having coffee with Minseok. It makes him feel like he has a friend in his new workplace already, and he supposes that he has Yifan to thank for that. It feels a little odd. He and Yifan always had a somewhat awkward relationship. Though Sehun does not openly admit his affections for Yixing, Sehun is sure Yifan has been able to sense them. In fact, Sehun thinks it’s probably an open secret amongst their group of friends, just that everyone is sensitive enough to Sehun’s feelings to not mention it in front of him. Yifan and Sehun used to get along really well at first, but when they both realised that they had fallen for the same guy, things had always been slightly strained between them. Sehun’s touched that despite everything, Yifan cares enough to ask Minseok and Lu Han to look out for him.

 

Right at the appointed time, Minseok brings Sehun to HR. Minseok leaves him with Pauline, the staff whom Sehun was due to meet. She’s nice, warm and friendly. She gives Sehun the mandatory staff introductory briefing, and she brings Sehun to IT, where Sehun receives his new work laptop and other assorted equipment, and gets his passwords all set up.

 

It’s late morning before Sehun is finally brought to his department, Business-to-Business Client Product Services. Sehun works in a multi-national electronics company, Seungja Corporation. While most people know them for their household appliances and handphones, his company also does custom-made electronic products for businesses. When American clients approach their company to custom-make a certain electronic product, they meet up with the customer service staff in the New York office, but the actual product design is done by a team of electronic engineers in the Seoul office, Sehun being one of them until just a few days ago. However, the company had since realised that they needed better synergy between the New York office and the Seoul office. The engineers in the Seoul office, having not met the client in person, sometimes do not fully understand what kind of end-product the clients want. The marketing staff in the New York office often lack the technical expertise to answer clients when they have queries. They have to tell clients to wait while they check with the Seoul office, and often this frustrates clients to the point that they go to another competitor instead. Hence, this is where Sehun’s promotion comes in. He’s here to act as the bridge between the Seoul and New York offices.

 

Pauline introduces Sehun to the team he’ll be working with. He shakes hands with Michael, his new direct supervisor. Sehun has spoken to Michael a few time via video conference call, but this is the first time he’s meeting Michael in person. He taller and broader than Sehun envisioned him to be, but his smile’s still the same. He’s a middle-aged bespectacled beta, still good looking despite his age. Michael gathers the team around with a holler, and they leave their cubicles to crowd around Sehun. There are five of them in all, Charlotte, Amber, Don, Ryan, and Douglas. Sehun smiles and nods his head at all them. He’s already read up on their staff profiles on the company’s intranet. They all look slightly different from their photos though. They look nice enough, but Sehun feels like an outsider. They have an established easy camaraderie, which Sehun doesn’t feel like he’s a part of, at least not yet.

 

All in all, it was an easy first day of work. Sehun hadn’t done any real work, just focused on settling in. Even so, Sehun is tired when he reaches home. He decides to skip dinner, too lazy to go out to grab a bite, and too lazy to fix himself something to eat. He pays for it later when his gastric acts up. He quickly swallows his gastric pills, forcing himself to ignore the twisting knot in his guts long enough for the gulp of water to wash the pills down. Sehun drags himself over to the bed, curling into a ball on it as he waits for the somersaults in his stomach to pass. The medicine does its work though, and Sehun soon feels well enough to sit up. Giving in to his body’s need for some form of nutrition, he drags himself to the fridge to pour himself a glass of apple juice, the only thing he can stomach right now. To Sehun’s delight, Yixing video calls and he quickly takes the call. Yixing asks Sehun about his first day at work.

 

“You look pale, Sehunnie.” Yixing says after they have talked for a while. He is peering intently into the screen. “Are you alright?”

 

Sehun swallows uncomfortably. He can’t believe Yixing can tell that he’s not feeling well, just from an image on his handphone screen that isn’t that high in definition anyway.

 

“I’m fine, Lay hyung!” Sehun tries to sound as upbeat as possible. “Just a little tired, that’s all.”

 

Yixing frowns. “You’ve always been a bad liar, Sehunnie. You had gastric again, didn’t you?”

 

“I’m sorry,” Sehun offers, feeling properly abashed in the face of Yixing’s obvious worry.

 

Yixing lets out a soft sigh. “You promised me you would eat properly, Sehunnie. I knew that letting you go to New York by yourself was a bad idea.”

 

“It won’t happen again,” Sehun promises. “I was just tired out from my first day of work, that’s all.”

 

Sehun’s first week at the office flies past without much incident. Michael is a decent boss, clear in his instructions to Sehun. Sehun follows Charlotte and Douglas around for their meetings with clients, to learn the ropes. He helps answer some technical questions from one of Amber’s clients, saving her the hassle of having to check with the Seoul office, causing Amber to declare that Sehun is her newfound favourite person in the office. Minseok drops by regularly to check on him. Sehun hasn’t seen Lu Han much, other than from a distance, but Lu Han drops him a couple of emails asking if he was settling in okay, and promises to take him out for dinner again the next weekend.

 

When Friday comes round, Don suggests that they bring Sehun out for drinks. “We haven’t properly welcomed Sehun to NYC!” is Don’s justification for after-work drinks. The other members of their team readily agree to join in. The only one who needs more convincing is Michael, who has a newborn son and wants to go home to his child and wife. The team manages to guilt-trip Michael into coming in the end, mostly by insinuating that he would be a bad boss who doesn’t take care of new employees if he didn’t come. “You just want me to pay the check later,” grumbles Michael, and none of his subordinates even have the decency to pretend that this wasn’t the case.

 

They go to a pub in Stone Street, near their office. They order tequila and vodka cocktails by the jug, and Sehun is properly impressed by the drinking prowess of his colleagues. They don’t let Sehun off easy either, since he is the reason that they are even here, or so they say. They order a tall glass of Flaming Lamborghini for Sehun, and he has to drain it with a straw at one go. As a result, he is more than a little buzzed when his handphone pings with a text from Yixing, asking if he’s home yet.

 

**_Sehunnie_ **

_Lay hyung! Miss u so much_

_Am out drinking with my colleagues_

**_Lay hyung_ **

_Ah ok. Have fun, Sehunnie_

_But be safe, alright?_

_Don’t drink too much_

**_Sehunnie_ **

_U are so sweet, Lay hyung_

_Why r u always so sweet_

_I can’t stand it_

_It makes me miss u more_

**_Lay hyung_ **

_Are u already drunk, Sehunnie?_

_U won’t say such things so directly usually_

**_Sehunnie_ **

_Am soooo not drunk!_

_Can take care of myself!_

**_Lay hyung_ **

_Where are u? What’s the name of the place you are at?_

 

Sehun tries to remember the name of the pub he’s sitting in, but fails. He turns to the right to ask Charlotte, but she’s busy flirting with a cute alpha who has appeared to buy the entire table drinks. He turns to left to ask Don, but he and Ryan are currently engaged in a drinking competition which involves seeing who can down the most shots in the shortest amount of time. So Sehun shakily gets up to stumble to the entrance of the pub. He takes a photo of the pub’s signboard, and sends it to Yixing. He turns around to walk back into the pub, but he trips at the front step. Damn, who puts steps there anyway? The floor is rushing up to meet him, and just when Sehun thinks the floor is going to collide into him, a pair of strong arms catches him.

 

“Careful there, beautiful.”

 

Sehun blinks. His face is buried in a crisp white dress shirt, his nose nestled next to a light blue tie. Sehun breathes, and immediately all his senses are doused in the delicious heady scent of an alpha. He pulls back, and finds himself looking up at the face of a very handsome man. He is clean-cut, with brown hair, a sharp nose and a strong jawline, immaculate in his suit. In Seoul, Sehun is used to being taller than almost everyone else, but this guy is taller than him.

 

“I’m fine. Thanks.” Sehun mumbles, trying to extricate himself from the alpha’s arms. The alpha does not let up his hold on Sehun.

 

“Have you had enough to drink for the night? Your friends don’t look like they’re done yet though.” The alpha tilts his head in the direction of the table Sehun’s colleagues are seated at. Sehun blushes at the implications of this. The alpha has had his eye on Sehun for a while already. “Would you like a ride home? I could drive you.”

 

Sehun is spared from answering when Michael appears at his side. “Ah, sorry for the inconvenience my colleague has caused you, mate.” Michael says good-naturedly, taking Sehun out of his arms. “He’s had a little too much to drink.”

 

“Oh, it was no trouble. Always glad to catch a pretty omega in my arms,” says the man easily, winking at Sehun.

 

Sehun blushes as he allows Michael to lead him back to their table. By this time, Don has ordered a fresh round of beers for everyone, and Sehun joins in as they all clink their mugs together in a toast. After they finish the round of drinks, Sehun’s colleague are plenty drunk. Amber goes to the washroom, supported by Charlotte, to puke her guts out. When the two girls slump back into their seats, Amber requests for water. They keep waving the wait staff over, but by this time, the pub is full and all of them are busy. Sehun volunteers to go to the bar to ask for the water.

 

Sehun is standing at the bar, waiting for the water, when a deep voice to his left catches his attention.

 

“Hey, beautiful.”

 

Sehun turns, and it’s the alpha from just now.

 

“William,” the alpha says, extending his hand.

 

“Sehun.” Sehun takes the hand, and shakes it.

 

“Say-hoon?” The man tries. The way he says it is funny, and Sehun chuckles.

 

The man leans in, smiling, encouraged by the fact that Sehun had laughed.

 

“Can I buy you a drink?”

 

“No, thanks. I’m done for the night.” Sehun had been cutting down on his drinking since he returned to his table, so he’s considerably more sober, and thus more articulate, than he had been just now.

 

William playfully lets out a dramatic sigh. “You’re not making this easy for me, are you?” he says, smiling charmingly at Sehun.

 

“I’m not looking for anyone.” Sehun decides to be upfront with him.

 

“Why not?” William cocks his head to side. He leans in boldly, breathing in the scent of Sehun’s hair. “Your heat’s coming, isn’t it?”

 

Sehun blushes.

 

“Your heat’s coming, and you haven’t been scent-marked yet.” William’s voice is deep, dripping in allure. “I could take care of you during your heat, if you like.”

 

“No, thanks.” Sehun manages, though he’s flushing so furiously he knows his cheeks must be flaming. “I’m not looking for company during my heat.”

 

“You’re intending to take suppressants? That’s no fun.” He covers Sehun’s hand with his own. “I can make it good for you. C’mon Say-hoon, say yes.”

 

“His answer is no.”

 

The voice that says this string of English words carries a heavy Chinese accent, one that Sehun would recognise anywhere. Sehun’s mind goes blank, his brain unable to catch up with this new development, because this shouldn’t be possible. The owner of the voice can’t possibly be here. A hand decisively removes William’s hand from Sehun’s. At the same time, an arm snakes around Sehun’s waist. Sehun’s senses are immersed in the familiar smell of the person that he’s been yearning for. Hardly daring to believe it, Sehun turns around. The person who was back hugging Sehun steps back slightly to allow the movement, and then Sehun is drinking in the sight of Yixing. Yixing standing in front of him, in the flesh, instead of 11,000 km away in South Korea. It’s surreal. Too good to be true.

 

“Sehunnie.”

 

That one word is enough to break him.

 

Yixing tucks Sehun’s fringe behind his ear. His fingers trail down the side of Sehun’s face, tracing his jaw. The action is so painfully familiar Sehun thinks his heart is going to burst.

 

“Sehunnie. Hyung is here.”

 

Next to them, William is frowning. “Do you know this man, Say-hoon?”

 

Sehun’s mind barely registers the fact that William has spoken. He is staring at Yixing, transfixed. When Sehun doesn’t speak, Yixing answers on his behalf.

 

“He knows me.” Yixing slings his arm back around Sehun’s waist, drawing him close. “We’ve known each other for years. He doesn’t need any other company for his heat. He has me.”

 

“Well, I don’t know about that.” William’s alpha pheromones are filling the air, overpowering Yixing’s beta scent. “Say-hoon’s not scent-marked yet, so this shows you have yet to make a choice. Am I right, Say-hoon?”

 

In response, Yixing abruptly leans over. His lips close down on Sehun’s neck, the sensitive spot just below his left ear, biting and sucking. His scent floods Sehun, sinking into every pore, blanketing every inch of his skin. Sehun breathes in the beautiful scent of Yixing that has now permeated his entire being.

 

Yixing has scent-marked him. Claimed him for his heat.

 

“You shouldn’t have done that.” William sounds disapproving. His voice carries a growl, the undertone of an angry alpha. “Not without asking first. That was very disrespectful towards Say-hoon, and need I mention, also illegal? You can’t just go around scent-marking omegas without their permission.”

 

“Sehunnie,” says Yixing, looking into Sehun’s eyes as if Sehun was the only thing he could see in the entire universe, not sparing William a glance, acting like he hadn’t noticed that William was speaking to him. “Would you like me to take care of you during your heat?”

 

“Yes,” says Sehun breathlessly, finding his voice at last. “Lay hyung.”

 

He reaches out to Yixing, his brain at last catching up with the fact that Yixing is indeed standing in front of him. He falls into Yixing’s waiting arms.

 

“ _Lay hyung._ ”

 

“Well, as long as you are sure it’s what you want, Say-hoon.”

 

Sehun cannot muster the strength to answer William, or even to look up from where his face is buried in the crook of Yixing’s neck. His entire mind is preoccupied with only one train of thought‒ Yixing is here. In New York. With him.

 

Tears spring into Sehun’s eyes, and he buries his face deeper into Yixing’s shirt, hoping that Yixing won’t notice. Yixing is rubbing soothing circles on Sehun’s back as Sehun clings onto him.

 

“My precious Sehunnie.” Yixing reverts to Korean. “My poor baby. You must have been through a lot in the past week, moving to New York alone, starting work in a new environment. It’s all hyung’s fault. Hyung should have protected you better. But hyung is here now. Hyung will take care of you from now onwards, alright?”

 

Sehun would have liked to spend eternity in Yixing’s arms, but they are interrupted by the bartender who has finally poured Sehun the jug of tap water that he had requested for. Sehun lifts his head out of Yixing’s shoulder, letting his mind centre back in reality. By this time, William is nowhere to be seen. Sehun carries the jug back to his table, beyond thrilled to have Yixing’s hand on his lower back as they make their way through the crowded pub. Sehun introduces Yixing to his colleagues, saying that Yixing is his friend from Korea who’s come to visit, and Yixing shakes hands with all of them. If anyone notices the change in Sehun’s scent, no one mentions it.

 

Now that he has Yixing here with him, Sehun is just itching to leave. Yixing senses this as well, and he soon excuses them from the company of the rest. They leave the pub hand in hand. After standing at the roadside for some time, and many failed attempts later, they manage to flag down a cab. As the yellow taxi squeals down the street, aggressively cutting lanes and making sharp turns, Sehun looks at Yixing, wordlessly asking for an explanation for Yixing’s presence in New York.

 

“I had originally wanted to take leave to fly with you to New York, Sehunnie,” Yixing explains. “I want to be with you, to help you settle in. But my boss refused to approve my leave. He wanted me to finish the project I had on hand first.”

 

Yixing is a web designer.

 

“This particular client was very picky, and they kept changing their minds on what they wanted their website to have. The client only approved the website design the day before yesterday, and it was only then my boss gave me the green light to go on leave. I immediately took the fastest available flight here.”

 

“Why didn’t you tell me you were coming to New York?”

 

“I want to give you a surprise. I showed up at your doorstep, but you were out. I was waiting outside your apartment for you, but then you sounded like you could be drunk in your texts, so I thought I had better come and find you. I’m glad I did.”

 

A hint of possessiveness darkens Yixing’s face, and he seems to subconsciously tighten his hold on Sehun. Sehun knows that Yixing must be thinking of William.

 

“I wouldn’t have left the pub with that alpha.” Sehun is quick to reassure Yixing. “I wouldn’t have left with anyone, except you.”

 

Yixing relaxes and smiles at Sehun. Sehun thinks that he could bask in Yixing’s smile forever.

 

“How long will you stay in New York?”

 

“Three weeks.” Yixing smiles at Sehun’s reaction of utter delight. “I’m using up all the leave that I have on this trip.”

 

“Then you would really be around for my heat!” Sehun blurts this out without thinking. Once the words leave his mouth, he realises how forward he sounds, and he can’t help blushing.

 

“Of course I would be, Sehunnie. Did you think that I wasn’t serious about taking care of you during your heat?”

 

Yixing’s eyes holds a promise of love and devotion, and Sehun thinks his heart might just burst with joy. When they reach his apartment, Sehun is surprised to see a glider luggage that does not belong to him just inside his front door. A look at Yixing confirms Sehun’s guess. The luggage belongs to Yixing.

 

“I was sitting outside your front door with my luggage,” explains Yixing. “But when I decided to go to the pub to find you, I didn’t want to bring my luggage along, so I tried my luck with your combination lock. The password code was easy to guess. I got it on my second try.”

 

Sehun blushes. He had used Yixing’s birthday as the 6-digit combination password for the door to the apartment.

 

“You look so cute when you blush, Sehunnie.”

 

This only serves to make Sehun blush harder. Yixing has his gaze fixed on Sehun, as if trying to memorise every detail of Sehun’s face. Sehun is suddenly aware of his proximity to Yixing, how close they are standing to each other. Yixing cups a hand over the back of Sehun’s neck, and leans in. His heartbeat thudding in his ears, and Sehun leans forward too.

 

Their lips meet.

 

For the first time they have known each other, after four years of waiting, Yixing is finally kissing him. Sehun can hardly believe it. The feeling is pure bliss, like he’s walking on clouds.

 

After the kiss ends, Yixing moves to unbutton Sehun’s shirt.

 

Sehun’s mouth goes dry.

 

Oh.

 

Yixing’s not going to wait until Sehun’s heat.

 

Yixing gently leads Sehun over to the bed. He lays Sehun down on it, and climbs over Sehun. He strokes Sehun’s hair, and covers Sehun in kisses, every touch loving and sincere. Sehun reaches up, and he unbuttons Yixing’s shirt too. They take their time to undress each other, to explore each other. Sehun feels Yixing’s gentle caress on every inch of his skin, his lips and his hands everywhere. When a finger dips into Sehun’s entrance, Sehun turns his face away in embarrassment, because of how wet he is there, his body betraying how much he wants this. But Yixing only praises Sehun for it. When Yixing sinks in, Sehun has never felt so whole. He feels like he might be made for this, made for Yixing.

 

They fall asleep cuddled together, Sehun snuggling into Yixing’s collarbone, and Yixing stroking his hair.

 

The next morning, Sehun wakes up to the beautiful sight of morning sunlight streaming on Yixing’s face, bathing him in a golden glow. Yixing is already awake, and while Sehun admires how angelic Yixing looks in the light of the morning sun, Yixing seems to be have been already studying Sehun for a while, watching Sehun while he slept.

 

“You’re so beautiful, Sehunnie.”

 

Sehun blushes, because the way Yixing says this is sensual, absolutely sinful.

 

“We could have had four years together, Sehunnie. I’m sorry it took me so long.”

 

Sehun shakes his head, and cuts off any further apology that Yixing might make with a kiss. He does not want Yixing apologising. He already feels beyond blessed to have Yixing here with him.

 

Sehun takes Yixing to his usual café for breakfast. Yixing orders the American breakfast set, while Sehun orders his usual plain bagel. Yixing keeps feeding Sehun food off his plate, and Sehun finds himself unable to resist Yixing, so he accepts the forkfuls of bacon and eggs that Yixing feeds him.

 

“I’m going for an interview on Monday.” Yixing says over breakfast.

 

Sehun’s eyebrows shoot up. “You’re interested to work in NYC, Lay hyung?”

 

“I’ve been sending out my resume to New York companies since you first told me that you were going to be posted here. This company is the first one to offer me an interview. We were going to do the interview over Skype, but since my boss did approve my leave after all and I’m here in New York, I changed it to a face-to-face interview instead.”

 

“Wow. That’s… that’s…”

 

Sehun does not know what to say. Yixing being here with him in New York City for the long term? It was a dream come true. Up till this point, Sehun had seen his move to New York as a necessity, something he was duty-bound to his family to do. But now, for the first time, Sehun suddenly sees his move to New York as an exciting adventure, as a possibility to chase the American dream, as most people in his shoes would have viewed such a move in the first place.

 

“I haven’t gotten the job yet,” Yixing reminds Sehun, the corners of his lips quirking up fondly.

 

“But there’s a possibility you might!” Sehun cannot contain his excitement. The mere thought of Yixing having the intention of moving to New York for his sake is enough to have him brimming with happiness.

 

“I will try my best to get it,” says Yixing sincerely. “I would hate to disappoint you, Sehunnie.”

 

“Oh no, please don’t say that, Lay hyung,” Sehun says anxiously. “You would never disappoint me, no matter what. Please don’t put too much pressure on yourself to get the job.”

 

Yixing smiles at Sehun, and Sehun feels his heart melting.

 

They spend the rest of the day sightseeing, doing touristy things like going to see the Statue of Liberty and the Empire State building, things that Sehun would have had no interest doing on his own, but suddenly seem fun because Yixing was there with him. On the pretext of going to the washroom, Sehun leaves Yixing’s side for a while and slips into a drugstore to purchase a bottle of anti-pregnancy pills, being too shy to buy them in front of Yixing. Yixing hadn’t used a condom last night, and though betas aren’t as virile as alphas, and Sehun is not as fertile now as he would be during his heat, Sehun figures it’s better to be safe than sorry.

 

They go grocery shopping too. Yixing had looked through Sehun’s kitchen in the morning, and had been unimpressed, though also unsurprised, at Sehun’s store of cereals, biscuits and instant noodles. Yixing buys raw meat and vegetables, and insists that they go to Koreatown, where Yixing happily purchases an assortment of Korean spices and sauces, and also jars of kimchi. Sehun heart flutters with warmth again. Yixing is Chinese, not Korean, so Sehun knows that Yixing has purchased all these Korean condiments for the purpose of cooking for Sehun, in the hopes that Sehun would eat more if it’s food from his home country that he’s eating. That night, Yixing makes bibimbap for Sehun, and it’s the best meal Sehun’s had in New York.

 

On Sunday evening, they meet Lu Han and Minseok at a steakhouse in Soho for dinner and drinks. When Sehun introduces Yixing to them, he sees Lu Han and Minseok exchange a look. He knows in that instant that they recognise Yixing’s name, know what Yixing means to Yifan, and how it would affect Yifan if he could see Sehun and Yixing now, walking hand-in-hand into the restaurant, sitting together closely despite the ample space of the booth, Yixing’s hand perpetually either on Sehun’s knee or around his waist, and worst of all, Yixing’s scent lingering on Sehun’s skin, announcing to all that Yixing has claimed Sehun for his upcoming heat. Though Lu Han and Minseok recover quickly, and the four of them fall into easy conversation, Sehun feels a constant stab of guilt throughout dinner.

 

The weekend passes too quickly, and Monday morning sees Sehun leaving the apartment for work. Yixing’s interview is in the afternoon, so he’ll be leaving the house later in the day. Yixing ties Sehun’s tie for him, and helps him wear his jacket. They part with a kiss at the door, Yixing promising to text Sehun once his interview is over, to let Sehun know how it went. Sehun is distracted at work all day, checking his handphone constantly, prompting Michael to chide him good-naturedly.

 

“Focus, lover boy. We’re meeting a big client today.”

 

Sehun blushes. They’re meeting Gredan Enterprises. The owner, Ronald Gredan, is a famous billionaire, well-known to the public, because he often appears in tabloids, usually because of his association with female omega celebrities and models.

 

“We’re meeting Michelle Kithston, Hospitality Manager, and Charles Roberts, Publicity Manager. Get their names right, yeah?”

 

Sehun nods. “Michelle Kithston and Charles Roberts,” he repeats dutifully.

 

“Right now, we don’t know exactly what they want yet. All we know is that they want their 5-star hotels across the country to be outfitted in fancy elevators, elevators that would have people crossing the country just to see them, even if they don’t stay in the hotel. It’s probable that they themselves don’t know what they want. They are not in the field, and are probably looking forward to hear what we can suggest. That’s where your technical expertise comes in, yes?”

 

“Yes, I was involved in the World’s Highest Elevator Project when I was in the Seoul office,” Sehun assures Michael. Their company had won the contract to design the world’s highest elevator for a building in Dubai. Actually, it had not so much a been building as an independent city on its own, consisting of retail, residential and office spaces. “The building has 57 elevators in all for the 160 storeys, all of them outfitted with built-in light and entertainment features. The main service elevator is the highest elevator installation in the world, and can travel 30 feet per second.”

 

“Good. This first meeting is for them to give us a rough idea of what they want. After this, we’ll work together with the Seoul office to put together a concrete proposal, before we meet them again to try to clinch the contract. Our competitors will all be having their eyes on this contract too, so let’s put in our best to win this, yeah?”

 

They head over to Gredan Tower, where the meeting is held. Michelle comes down to meet them at the receptionist’s desk at the ground level. When they are at the lift lobby, Sehun’s handphone vibrates, and Sehun quickly takes it out to check it. It’s his long-awaited text from Yixing, telling Sehun that he thinks the interview went well. Sehun is smiling down into his handphone, not quite looking where he’s going. The lift door opens, and Sehun automatically moves to step into it, neglecting to let the passengers of the lift get out first. He walks straight into someone, almost colliding into the front of that person’s jacket.

 

“Sorry!” Sehun is quick to step back, snapping his head up from his handphone.

 

A low throaty chuckle reverberates from the man Sehun nearly walked into. He’s shorter than Sehun, dressed in a navy blue suit and red tie, his white shirt stretched tightly over the wide expense of his beer belly that is hanging out of his shirt. His fringe is long, swept a little awkwardly in a wave across his forehead in an attempt to hide his receding hairline. His broad face is wrinkly, but his eyes are bright, and every line on his face seem to underline this man’s latent strength, the strength of an alpha. Sehun can smell it in his scent. He’s an old one, one that has gone to seed, but nevertheless he’s still a strong one. Sehun’s eyes widen slightly as he realises who he had walked into. It’s Ronald Gredan. He’s just stepped out of the lift, several employees and bodyguards in his wake.

 

“Oh, no harm done, no harm done.”

 

Ronald Gredan is smiling, sounding like a kindly grandfather figure. He reaches out to pat Sehun good-naturedly on the back, except that with each pat, his hand travels down lower, until it is almost touching the top of Sehun’s butt. Sehun quickly steps back to stand next to Michael. Michelle introduces Michael and Sehun, and explains to Ronald Gredan the purpose of their meeting.

 

“Ah… the hotel elevator project? Of course, of course.” Ronald Gredan is nodding away. “Come, let’s go to my office to talk this over.”

                                                                                                                                 

Michelle looks surprised. “You would like to sit in for this meeting, Mr Gredan?”

 

“Yes, of course. This is such an important project. Come, come, let’s not make our guests stand here. Let’s go to my office.”

 

Ronald Gredan slants his body so that he is facing Sehun and he extends a hand out towards the lift doors, a gesture indicating that Sehun should board first. One of his subordinates is quick to press the elevator button, to hold it open. His other subordinate however, looks extremely uncomfortable as he nervously pushes his glasses up the bridge of his nose. Behind them, stand two bodyguards, tall and burly in suits and sunglasses, their faces expressionless.

 

“Mr Gredan, you have a 5 pm meeting with…” the nervous employee tries to say.

 

“Oh, just reschedule it.” Ronald Gredan says dismissively. He puts a hand on Sehun’s lower back, to steer Sehun towards the lift. Sehun quickly moves into the lift on his own accord, taking quick steps to move out of Ronald Gredan’s reach. Ronald Gredan chuckles as he follows Sehun into the lift. It feels weird, to be the first one to step into the lift, with his client following one step behind. In South Korea, this would have been extremely rude behaviour, unthinkable for someone of Sehun’s position and age. Sehun feels distinctively uncomfortable, and is grateful when Michael boards the lift and navigates himself such that he is standing in between Gredan and Sehun.

 

“I couldn’t catch your name just now.”

 

“My name is Oh Sehun, Mr Gredan.”

 

“Say-hoon? Oh, lovely name. Absolutely lovely. You’re not from America, are you?”

 

“I’m from South Korea.”

 

“Ahhh… Lovely country. Lovely country. Haven’t been there in a while. Are all omegas there as pretty as you?”

 

Sehun blushes, not knowing how to answer.

 

“They say South Korea is the land of pretty boys, sir.” It’s the employee who held the lift button who speaks up.

 

Gredan chortles heartily. “Indeed, George. Indeed. You know what I always say, male omegas aren’t worth anyone’s time of the day. It’s female omegas only all the way for me, female omegas only all the way. But Say-hoon here makes me eat my words. Say-hoon here can give any female omega a run for her money. Can you imagine that? Ronald Gredan eating his own words! Never would have imagined the day!”

 

“There’s a first time for everything, sir,” says George, sharing a smirk with Gredan.

 

“They must make male omegas differently in South Korea, don’t they Say-hoon? America’s a great country, the best in the world I would say, but America needs to catch up with South Korea in this aspect!”

 

Ronald Gredan laughs heartily at this, as if he’s just cracked an extremely funny joke. George laughs right together with him, but he’s the only one. Michael and Sehun exchange worried looks, and Michelle looks uneasy too. The nervous employee, John, is practically sweating.

 

The lift stops, and Sehun notices that they are at the top floor. When the lift door opens, they don’t step into a lift landing, but instead they seem to step straight into Ronald Gredan’s office. The entire top floor of Gredan Tower has been designated as Gredan’s office space. It’s opulent, but Sehun is not in the mood to admire the luxury of the furnishings. Gredan is about to put a hand on Sehun’s lower back again, but Sehun nimbly slips out of reach, sidestepping him to exit the lift. Michael is quick to follow behind, bodily blocking off Sehun from Gredan. Sehun is glad to notice Michelle and John do the same. They exit the lift with a three-person barrier between Sehun and Gredan, so when Gredan leads them to a couple of couches beside a full-length glass window, it is easy for Sehun to sit apart from Gredan. Gredan sits on the centre of one of the couches, with George and John flanking him. Michael sits at the centre of the other couch facing Gredan, with Michelle on his right and Sehun on his left. The two bodyguards station themselves at the entrance of the lift.

 

After they’ve seated, Michelle sends a text on her handphone asking Charles to come up and join them for the meeting. Michelle then tries to start the meeting, bringing up the topic of the hotel elevators, but Gredan cuts her off.

 

“Now, now, Michelle. We haven’t even offered our guests a drink yet. Say-hoon is going to think that we have no manners!”

 

“Would you like some coffee? Or tea?” asks John.

 

“Oh, that’s no fun for an evening meeting.” Gredan laughs. “I say, let’s pop some bubbly.”

 

George quickly rises to go to the wine cabinet.

 

“Choose the ’98 Dom Perignon, George,” Gredan calls out.

 

“Have you tried Dom Perignon before, Say-hoon?” Gredan asks, after George had popped the bottle, and is coming over with the bottle and several flutes.

 

Sehun shakes his head.

 

“Oh, that’s a crying shame, Say-hoon! Someone as exquisite as you should only drink nothing but the very best of wines.”

 

George pours out the first flute, and he passes it to Gredan. Instead of taking it for himself, Gredan offers it to Sehun, holding the flute across the coffee table.

 

“You really must try this, Say-hoon!”

 

Sehun reaches over to take the flute, careful to close his fingers around the glass so that he has no contact with Gredan’s fingers. But the instant his fingers hold onto the glass, instead of withdrawing his hand, Gredan brushes his fingers against Sehun’s, stroking clear down the back of Sehun’s hand.

 

Sehun startles, jerking his hand back. The champagne spills, splattering on Sehun’s pants. Sehun quickly puts down the glass, pulls out a couple of tissues from a leather covered tissue box that has been placed at the centre of the coffee table, and dabs his pants with the tissues.

 

Suddenly, there is another hand dabbing his pants with a piece of tissue too. Sehun jumps, leaping away from Ronald Gredan, who has somehow walked around the coffee table and sat down next to Sehun without him noticing. Sehun had been too preoccupied with trying to dry the wet stains on his clothes.

 

“Er… I’ll just go to the washroom to clean up.”

 

Sehun makes a beeline to the elevator. The two bodyguards are standing in front of the lift doors, blocking the way. Sehun blinks at them. Anyone can see that he’s headed for the elevator. Shouldn’t they be moving out of the way by now?

 

“Excuse me,” Sehun says to them, but they don’t budge.

 

“Oh, the washroom’s that way, Say-hoon. To the right.”

 

“Erm… but that’s your personal washroom. It’s alright, I’ll just use the one downstairs,” Sehun squeaks. Honestly, he can’t be bothered with the presentation anymore. He just wants to leave the room, to put distance between himself and Gredan. Michael seems to be thinking along the same lines. He gets up from the couch too, and walks up next to Sehun.

 

“We really don’t want to impose, Mr Gredan. I’ll just walk Sehun down to the washroom downstairs. If you’ll excuse us…” Michael says to the two bodyguards, gesturing for them to make way, but they don’t remain where they are. Their expressions remain stoic, as they stare past both Sehun and Michael, their eyes hidden behind their sunglasses.

 

Both Michael and Sehun turn back towards the people seated at the couch, incredulous.

 

Michelle and John look distinctly uncomfortable, but George is smirking at them. Gredan is smiling genially, with the air of a kindly grandfather.

 

“Oh, just use this washroom Say-hoon. You won’t be imposing at all!”

 

Sehun looks at Michael, and Michael gives him a small nod. Sehun walks to the washroom, looking back to make sure that Gredan isn’t following. He’s seated at the couch, like a fat walrus, looking disinclined to move. Michael goes back to the couch, and sits himself gingerly at the edge of it. He looks ready to leap out of the couch should Gredan try to stand up. So, Sehun goes to the washroom. It’s hopelessly opulent, marble with gold-plated trimmings. Sehun’s handphone vibrates. He has a text from Michael.

 

**_Michael_ **

_Shit_

_Gredan’s a well-known douchebag, but I didn’t know he was this bad_

_Wouldn’t have brought u here if I had known_

_And anyway, we weren’t supposed to meet him today?!_

_But not to worry, yeah?_

_I’ve texted Lu Han_

_He’s on the way_

_He’s an alpha, and high in social status like Gredan_

_Once Lu Han is here, Gredan will have to hold back_

 

Sehun feels infinitely better knowing that Lu Han is on his way. Nevertheless, he still feels unnerved enough to text Yixing.

 

**_Sehunnie_ **

_Lay hyung, help me_

_I’m on the top floor of Gredan Tower_

_Ronald Gredan is hitting on me_

 

Yixing’s response is immediate.

 

**_Lay hyung_ **

_I’m on my way_

_Wait for me, Sehunnie_

 

Sehun can only hope Lu Han and Yixing would reach soon. He sighs. Similar situations had happened once or twice before in South Korea, but back there, he had Yifan to back him. It’s no secret that Sehun is Yifan’s friend. Yifan posts photos often on SNS, and he has one of the highest number of followers among the socialites in South Korea. Sehun has appeared in these shots often enough for people to know that they are friends, and for anyone who doesn’t know, it was usually enough for Sehun, or Sehun’s supervisor, Kyungsoo, to name drop Yifan into the conversation for Sehun’s would be harasser to back off. Yifan’s father is influential enough in almost every money-making industry in South Korea that no one wants to risk offending the Wu family. Sehun never realised how much he had taken Yifan’s protection for granted.

 

Sehun cleans up as best as he can, and he leaves the washroom to rejoin the group seated at the couch. Conversation has picked up again, and it seems to be revolving about Gredan boasting about his exploits.

 

“Pretty women throw themselves at me all the time,” Gredan is saying. “Can’t get enough of Ronald Gredan, you know? I see a female omega I like, I go straight for it, and they let me. They let you do anything, you know? If you are an alpha, and a billionaire, they let you do anything.”

 

Sehun feels his skin crawl, as Michael makes space at the edge of the couch for Sehun to sit. Sehun is now seated at the far end of the couch, as far as possible from Gredan, with Michael as a human shield in front of him. Michelle valiantly tries to steer the conversation back to business.

 

“You must recall the presentation I made to you a few weeks ago, Mr Gredan. Our revenue for our high-end hotels has fallen slightly. It is time for a major overhaul. We need more showmanship, more publicity. Get the papers, the magazines, and the internet talking about us. We have an entire comprehensive plan for the range of new features our hotels would have, but today, we have invited Michael and Sehun to hear from them what their company has done in terms of high-end entertainment elevators.”

 

“Yes,” John is quick to back Michelle up, to steer their conversation back to safe grounds. “I was in Dubai recently, and I was happy to have the chance to take a ride on the world’s highest elevator. I understand that was designed by your company?”

 

“Yes. Let me show you some examples of what we’ve done,” Michael picks up the conversation quickly, before Gredan could cut in and digress. He spins his laptop around, and he has a slideshow on display. John helps him set up some wires, then the images from the laptop are screened on the LCD television mounted on the wall. Using the photographs, Michaels explains the special features of lifts their company has designed before‒ LCD displays that cover the walls of the elevator from top to bottom, elevators that play music according to the number of people taking them (“All by Myself” if there’s only one person, “You’ve got a friend” if there’s two people, and party music if there’s a crowd).

 

Sehun chips in if there’s technical query‒ _How can the elevator tell how many people are taking it?_ Heat Sensors. _What is the speed of the fastest elevator in the world?_ 3,313 feet/min, Taipei 101 Building. _Can we have that for our hotels too?_ But such speed is not advisable for buildings less than 1,500 feet high. Your hotels are around 700 feet high.

 

Michael is showing a picture of an elevator that is inside the largest cylindrical aquarium in the world, allowing passengers to view more than 100 fish species swimming in around one million litres of water as they take the elevator. This one is not one of their company’s projects, but it’s a famous hotel elevator, and Michael is confident that their company would be able to create something similar should their client want them to. John asks more about the practical needs of such a structure, and Sehun stands up and walks over to the television screen, pointing at the metallic structural base of the aquarium, explaining that the foundation itself is 30 feet tall, a requirement to be able to withstand the massive weight of the aquarium. Having made his point, he is about to turn around and go back to his seat, but he finds himself blocked by Ronald Gredan. Gredan had come up to stand right behind him. Sehun stiffens. He leans over Sehun, his arm touching Sehun lightly as he points to photo.

 

“How is it built?” asks Gredan. “It’s clear glass all around, no panels.”

 

“It’s made of acrylic actually, Mr Gredan, not glass. Acrylic is a sturdier material, higher impact strength, meaning it is not as prone as glass to shattering or cracking, and it’s also easier to mould during manufacturing. Glass needs to be very thick to withstand water pressure, but acrylic allows for thinner walls, making the fish more visible. The outer wall is made out of four thick pieces, but well moulded together, so the lines aren’t very visible. The inner wall is one complete piece.”

 

“Ah, he has a brain behind that pretty looking face! I like that, I like that.”

 

He guides Sehun back to the couch, and he pulls Sehun to sit down next to him. Sehun flushes uncomfortably, but Gredan’s alpha scent is invading his senses, making it difficult for him to refuse Gredan. Gredan asks George to pour another glass of champagne for Sehun, which Sehun accepts without mishap this time.

 

“It’s good isn’t it?” asks Gredan, as he watches Sehun take a sip. He’s watching Sehun’s every move intently, leering.

 

The champagne tastes like sawdust in his mouth, but Sehun nods politely.

 

“What is your position in your company?”

 

“Electric Engineer, Mr Gredan.”

 

“Oh ho ho ho, electric engineer eh? Personally, I think that’s a waste. You would make an excellent model. Have you ever thought of changing careers? You would take the modelling world by storm. I own a few modelling agencies. I could sign you. Make you famous. How about that, eh, Say-hoon?”

 

Sehun is spared from answering when Gredan’s secretary, a pretty female omega in a tight white dress who had been seated unobtrusively in her desk in a corner all this while announces that Charles Roberts, Publicity Manger, would like entrance to Gredan’s office.

 

“Let him in, darling. Let him in. About time he showed up too.”

 

The elevator door opens, and the two bodyguards part momentarily to let Charles Roberts walk through, except that he isn’t alone. Yixing walks into the office behind him. The minute he enters the room, his eyes connect with Sehun’s and an immediate sense of security floods Sehun. He instantly springs to his feet and walks to Yixing’s side.

 

“Come in, Charles, come in. What took you so long? And who’s this young lad you’ve brought with you?”

 

“An emergency cropped up, Mr Gredan, that required my immediate attention. I’m sorry for the delay. This gentleman here is Zhang Yixing, Lay. I picked him up from the reception counter downstairs. He says that he knows Michael and Sehun, and has brought them an important document that they forgot to bring along for this meeting?”

 

“Yes. Thanks for coming down, Lay.” Michael says without missing a beat.

 

Yixing reaches inside his jacket pocket to take out a thumbdrive, which he passes to Michael. Michael takes the thumbdrive, plugs it in, and blanks the presentation screen for a while, pretending to look for the non-existent document that Yixing has brought to them.

 

Gredan is watching Yixing, sweeping his eyes up and down, judging. Sehun knows that everyone in the room, including Gredan, would have been able to smell that Sehun had already been scent-marked. By rights of modern social protocol, Gredan should not even have hit on Sehun. It was obvious that Gredan’s an old-school alpha bigot who has no respect for a beta scent-mark. Now that Yixing is here, it is obvious from Yixing’s scent that he is the very beta who has scent-marked Sehun. Surely Gredan would back down now?

 

“Sehunnie, you look pale. Are you not feeling well?”

 

Sehun reads the look on Yixing’s face. It says, just say yes, even if you aren’t.

 

“Yes, Lay hyung. I’m having a headache, feeling kind of dizzy.”

 

Actually it isn’t entirely untrue. Interacting with Ronald Gredan is giving Sehun a headache of massive proportions.

 

“Let me take you home then, Sehunnie.” Yixing turns to Michael. “Can Sehunnie be excused from this meeting?”

 

“Of course.” Michael is quick to agree.

 

“Thank you. Excuse us.” Yixing grabs Sehun’s hand, and they both head for the lift, but the two bodyguards block their way.

 

Yixing turns around and glares at Ronald Gredan.

 

“Ask your bodyguards to move aside.”

 

“Ah, Say-hoon, if you’re not feeling well, I can’t let you leave just like that. I have a personal doctor who’s on-call 24-7. I’ll ask him to come down to take a look at you. Holly, be a dear and call Dr Woods, would you?”

 

“That won’t be necessary. Sehunnie will be fine after some rest. Now, move.”

 

The bodyguards don’t move an inch, and Yixing raises an eyebrow at Gredan.

 

“We’ll like to leave now. I’m pretty sure detaining people against their will is against the law. So get your cronies to move out of the way, right now.”

 

“Oh c’mon. Lay, issit? I’m only getting a doctor here to take a look at Say-hoon, who says he’s not feeling well. Which part of that is against the law?” Gredan turns to look at George. “The nerve of betas these days. Daring to contradict alphas. Never happened in my time, Georgie, never happened in my time.”

 

“You are in Gredan Tower, Mr Zhang,” George says coldly. “Watch your words and have some respect.”

 

“Now that I think about it, you’re probably the reason why Say-hoon is not feeling well in the first place.”

 

“What?” Yixing is livid. His beta pheromones flood the air, stronger than Sehun has ever smelled Yixing give out before. The scent of it makes Sehun’s knees go weak.

 

Gredan rises and strides up to where Yixing and Sehun are standing. His alpha pheromones rent the air too, battling Yixing’s beta scent and easily overwhelming it, assaulting Sehun’s senses and making his head spin. He leans against Yixing for support.

 

“Your heat’s coming up, isn’t it Say-hoon? I can’t imagine how upsetting it much be for Say-hoon, to be scent-marked by a mere beta, instead of an alpha. That’s probably why he’s been feeling unwell. He probably wants to undo the scent-mark, but being a weak little omega, he can’t do it by himself. But don’t worry, Say-hoon, I can override his scent-mark on you.”

 

Sehun’s eyes widen in alarm, and he steps behind Yixing, hands on Yixing’s shoulders. It’s true that an alpha can over-ride a beta’s scent-mark, taking away the omega from the beta for himself. It’s an archaic genetic alpha right, dating back from the stone ages, when mankind were still cavemen, hunters and gatherers. But society had improved since then, and in modern terms, it’s considered socially taboo for alphas to over-ride a beta’s scent-mark, and in the first place, both betas and alphas had to seek the consent of omegas before scent-marking them. Sehun can’t believe that Ronald Gredan is insinuating that he wants to override Yixing’s scent-mark on him.

 

“Lay is Sehun’s boyfriend,” Michael cuts in, standing next to Yixing and Sehun. “Sehun has already chosen Lay for his upcoming heat. There should be no contention on this.”

 

“Yes, I agree.” To Sehun’s surprise, it’s Michelle who cuts in. Her eyes are flashing with anger as she too moves to stand next to them. “They should be allowed to leave.”

 

“Mr Gredan… I do believe Michael has a point…” John stutters from where he’s seated at the couch.

 

Gredan only smirks, and Sehun gasps quietly as his alpha scent floods the air even more strongly than before, his fingers digging into Yixing’s shirt for support. The increase of alpha pheromones in the air is enough to make Michael and Michelle, both betas, to back away, heads down, their genetic construction making them unable to stand up to Gredan.

 

Yixing stands his ground, glaring daggers at Gredan. Sehun feels a rush of warmth for Yixing. It must be difficult for Yixing, a beta, to be going against an alpha. The alpha scent must be affecting Yixing too, but he is doing his best to hold his own, to defend Sehun. 

 

“Sehunnie is _mine_.”

 

Gredan chortles. “Let’s not be too sure of that, beta.” He looks directly at Sehun. “Come here.”

 

It’s a command. Gredan is using his alpha voice. Sehun whimpers, a high-pitch squeak that grates against even his own ears, every fibre in his being telling him to submit to the alpha.

 

“Sehunnie, stay where you are.”

 

It’s a command too, but one from a beta, not as compelling as Gredan’s.

 

“Say-hoon, _come_.”

 

It’s the authority in the last word, combined with the overwhelming sensations of too much pheromones in the air that breaks Sehun. It hits Sehun in gut. His knees buckle, unable to take his own weight, and he slumps onto Yixing, depending on his arms on Yixing’s shoulders to hold him upright. Inside him, a burning need explodes within. A need to be spread open. A need to be filled. A need to be satisfied, deep within.

 

Sehun’s heat is here. One week early. At the most inopportune time.

 

Yixing turns around to face Sehun, eyes wide. Sehun knows that Yixing would be able to smell it, the whole room would be able to smell it, Sehun’s omega pheromones flooding the air, announcing the commencement of his heat. Yixing is quick to put his arms around Sehun, and Sehun gratefully sinks into Yixing’s embrace, standing up on his own accord suddenly seeming like a difficult task.

 

Gredan is smirking. “Come here, Say-hoon. I would not ask again.”

 

His voice is laced with authority. Sehun whimpers. The burning inside him overpowers everything. Now that he’s in heat, the pull of an alpha’s command becomes even more irresistible. He wrenches himself out of Yixing’s embrace, stepping towards Gredan.

 

“No! Sehunnie!”

 

“Stay where you are, beta.” Gredan is practically snarling. His voice is as hard as steel, impossible to ignore.

 

Sehun feels the arms that had been pulling him back drop away. He steps up to Gredan. Gredan is leering at him. He puts a hand on Sehun’s neck, his thumb stroking Sehun’s skin. Sehun does not resist.

 

Smirking, Gredan leans over.

 

His mouth is inches from Sehun’s neck when suddenly, a loud crash explodes behind him. Sehun jumps, and Gredan pulls back. Pheromones are flooding the air. The pheromones of an alpha. An alpha who is not Ronald Gredan. A strong alpha. A young alpha. An alpha, whose scent Sehun knows.

 

Sehun lifts his head, and looks up.

 

It’s Wu Yifan.

 

It’s Yifan, who’s flooding the room with his pheromones, easily battling Gredan’s scent, putting him and Gredan on equal ground. It’s Yifan, crossing the room with wide strides, his sheer speed allowing him to nimbly side-step the bodyguards who have moved to block him. It’s Yifan, who’s yanking Sehun out of Ronald Gredan’s grasp and into his own embrace. It’s Yifan, who tilts his head and sinks down on Sehun’s exposed neck, biting and sucking. And it’s Yifan’s scent that blankets Sehun, sinking into his skin, overpowering Yixing’s lingering scent.

 

Yifan has scent-marked Sehun. It takes a moment for this to sink in. An alpha can over-ride a beta’s scent-mark on an omega, but nobody, not even another alpha, can override an alpha’s claim. Gredan has lost his chance to scent-mark Sehun. Yifan has gotten there first.

 

Yifan is holding Sehun to him, an arm around Sehun’s waist. Sehun realises his entire body is shaking uncontrollably, and he has tears in his eyes. He nuzzles his face in the front of Yifan’s jumper, in an effort to discreetly wipe away the tears.

 

The bodyguards are closing in on Yifan, but Gredan dismisses them with a wave of his hand.

 

“Ah, good to see you, Kris, good to see you. Did you just break down the door leading to my staircase?”

 

A couple of security guards stumble into the office, running through a doorway at the far end of the room, of which a broken door is hanging off its hinges. The security guards are panting, breathless.

 

“Mr Gredan, sir,” one of them manages to heave out in between his heavy breathing. “This is Kris Wu Yifan, Managing Director of Wu Enterprises. We told him to wait, that you were already in a meeting, but he just barged in. We tried to stop him, but he was too fast…”

 

“That’s alright. Quite alright. I know Kris. We’re old family acquaintances, aren’t we? In fact, I just had a working lunch with your father the other day, Kris.”

 

“Yes. He told me about it. He said something about your business ventures in China closing down? About you not having the right contacts there.”

 

Gredan chortles good-naturedly at this.

 

“Wu Enterprises, on the other hand, has excellent contacts in China.” Kris squares his shoulders, positively sneering at Gredan. “My father said something about you wanting to collaborate with us?”

 

“That’s quite right, that’s quite right.” Gredan sounds like a friendly and indulgent grandfather. “I see a lot of potential in our partnership, don’t you, Kris? I’m sure your father does too.”

 

“If you see so much potential in our partnership, then perhaps you should show some sincerity in wanting to work with us, starting by not trying to making a move on _my_ omega.”

 

“Oh, I had no idea he was yours! Wouldn’t have touched him if I had known, wouldn’t have touched him at all. In all due respect, young Kris, he wasn’t carrying your scent until right just now, was he? In fact, he was carrying the scent of that beta standing there.”

 

“The beta’s mine too. Both of them are,” Yifan states haughtily. “I knew Sehun’s heat was coming up, but he was here in New York, while I was in South Korea, so I asked Yixing to scent-mark him first.”

 

“The beta’s yours? He doesn’t seem to be carrying your scent though.”

 

“Yixing.”

 

It’s a summons for Yixing to go to Yifan, but Yifan’s voice is cool, controlled. He’s not using his alpha voice. Nevertheless, Yixing responds immediately, stepping up to Yifan. He tilts his head to the side, exposing his neck to Yifan. Yifan leans down, and Yixing gets scent-marked too.

 

“There you go. There you go.” Gredan sounds jovial and good-natured. “Next time just scent-mark your betas and omegas early, yeah? That’ll prevent so many misunderstandings. But no harm done, no harm done. Good for you, Kris, that you have an omega and a beta under you. Your beta’s really pretty too, now that I really look at him, without Say-hoon’s scent distracting me. Good for you. Good for you. All this modern nonsense about monogamy, all that tosh about one alpha or one beta to one omega only… Preposterous! We alphas are meant to have many partners servicing us. I have three mates myself. All female omegas, of course, all female omegas. Though from now onwards, having met Say-hoon, I realise I won’t say no to a pretty boy after all!”

 

Gredan chuckles heartily, like he’s made the joke of the century. George, of course, joins in. Yifan looks absolutely livid.

 

“Though I must say you shouldn’t have let them come out to work, young Kris. The omega especially. All this wouldn’t have happened if only you kept your omega at home, where he’s meant to be. I keep my three omegas at home myself. Trophy wives, you know, trophy wives. Their only job is to take care of Ronald Gredan, keep thinking of ways to better satisfy me!”

 

“We belong to Yifan. I believe what he does with us is no one’s business but his own.” Yixing’s voice is cold. Disdain drips from every word.

 

“Ah, you should really control your beta, Kris. Teach him proper respect towards alphas.”

 

“Yixing’s my beta. This means he can talk to whoever he likes however he likes. He has me to back him up. Anyone who has issues with that can take it up with me.”

 

“Ho ho ho! A feisty alpha, eh? I like it. I like it. Alphas are meant to be feisty. Go out there and show the world who’s boss.”

 

“Mr Gredan, sir,” Gredan’s secretary interrupts meekly. “Lu Han from Seungja Corporation is here. He says he knows that you are meeting with his subordinates and would like to join in the meeting.”

 

“Today’s a day for visitors, eh? Send him in, honey, send him in.”

 

When the elevator doors open, the bodyguards step aside to admit Lu Han, Minseok trailing a step behind him, holding a laptop. There’s an unfamiliar man with them too.

 

“Mr Gredan!”

 

Lu Han is all smiles as he walks up to Ronald Gredan to shake his hand. Despite Lu Han’s outwardly friendly demeanour, Lu Han’s alpha pheromones are filling the air, and they carry the underlying intent of aggression. When the handshake is over, Lu Han steps back from Gredan, and moves to stand side by side with Yifan. The implications are obvious as the two young alphas stand next to each other, both pumping alpha pheromones into the air. It’s an alpha-alpha alliance between Yifan and Lu Han. It’s two alphas versus one, and Gredan has no chance.

 

“Mr Gredan, I had no idea you were attending the meeting today. If I had known, of course I would have come down in person to meet you. Luckily, Michael texted me, and I came down as fast as I could.”

 

“Of course, Lu Han, of course. Glad you came, glad you came. And the two gentlemen with you are…?”

 

“Oh, where are my manners? Please let me make the introductions. This is Kim Minseok, my personal assistant, and Steven Boroughs, the head of the legal department in my company.”

 

Ronald Gredan raises an eyebrow at this. The fact that Lu Han has brought his Head of Legal with him brings across a clear message‒ _Dare to sexually harass my employee, and I’ll see you in court. I have a trained lawyer here who is watching you, and every move you make right now might be used as evidence against you in court._

 

“I know that what we’re discussing today hasn’t much to do with Steven, but it was just that Steven and I happened to be together outside for another meeting when Michael texted me, so I thought I’ll just bring Steven along for this meeting. You don’t mind, do you, Mr Gredan?”

 

“Of course not, Lu Han, of course not. Come, why are we all standing here? Let’s all take a seat.”

 

“Yixing and I will be sending Sehun home now.”

 

“Of course,” says Lu Han. “Go ahead, Yifan.”

 

Lu Han turns to Gredan. “I’m afraid my engineer is indisposed and would have to leave the meeting early. But I have the Head Engineer of the Seoul OFfice B2B Client Product Services, Do Kyungsoo, on video conference call here.”

 

Minseok turns the laptop around, and Sehun does see the image of his former boss on the screen.

 

“Kyungsoo would be able to answer any technical query you might have, in place of Sehun.” Lu Han says crisply as he sits down on one of the couches. “Shall we proceed with the meeting, Mr Gredan?”

 

“Yes, of course. Yes, of course. Would you like a drink first? Dom Perignon for you, Lu Han?”

 

Yifan leads Sehun to the elevator, one hand still around his waist. Yixing follows at his side. This time, the bodyguards part, allowing them to board the lift.

 

“See you around, Kris!” Ronald Gredan calls good-naturedly after them.

 

The minute the lift door closes, Yifan releases his hold on Sehun, depositing Sehun into Yixing’s arms. Yixing wraps an arm possessively around Sehun’s waist, pulling him close. Sehun clings onto Yixing, his arms draped around Yixing’s shoulders.

 

“Lay hyung.” It comes out as a whine, almost a plea.

 

“Sehunnie.” Yixing is quick to soothe him. “It’s alright. You are safe now. You’re with us. Nothing’s going to hurt you.”

 

Sehun moans. The need consumes him, and he can barely keep himself still. He wriggles his ass in a futile attempt to relieve himself from the need, but it doesn’t work. Sehun thinks he must be dry humping Yixing’s thigh, rubbing his clothed erection desperately to seek any sort of friction, but he can’t be bothered to care how embarrassing it must be.

 

“I’m sorry,” Yifan immediately apologises. “I didn’t mean to scent-mark him, to override your claim on him. But the circumstances just now… I just had to…”

 

“Alpha…” Sehun gasps out, reaching out to Yifan. “Alpha…”

 

Yifan steps back, just out of reach.

 

“Suppressant pills. Do you have them, Sehun?”

 

“At home… They’re at home…” Sehun had left his pills in his kitchen cabinet at home. He hadn’t brought them along with him, because he had thought he wouldn’t need suppressants for this heat, not when Yixing had already scent-marked him.

 

“We’ll take him home. After he takes his pills, he’ll be fine. He won’t need me to… to…” Yifan’s voice trails off, unable to complete his sentence. “Then when his heat passes, everything will be back to status quo. The two of you can go back to how you were before all this shit happened.”

 

Even through the haze of his heat, Sehun can see the hurt written on Yifan’s face.

 

“How are you even here, Yifan?”

 

“Lu Han called me. He said his subordinate told him that Sehun was being sexually harassed by Ronald Gredan. He was on his way down, but was stuck in traffic, so he asked me to rush down first.”

 

“I didn’t even know you were in New York.”

 

“My father… erm… sent me to New York, to helm my company’s new project here.”

 

Yifan’s tone lacks conviction, and Yixing raises an eyebrow at Yifan. Yifan hasn’t worked a day in his life, and all three of them know it. He’s rich enough to not have to. His position that he holds in his father’s company is nothing but an empty title, all the actual work done by his subordinates.

 

“Alright, alright. I admit that I may have volunteered myself for this New York project because I heard from Junmyeon and Jongdae that you were job-hunting in New York. I know you already told me that it’s impossible between us, but I just wanted to be close to you.”

 

Yifan takes in a deep breath.

 

“I’m aware that you and Sehun have gotten together. I’m probably the last person you want to see. I’m sorry. Me being around won’t cramp your style with Sehun, I promise.”

 

“No, don’t be sorry. You saved Sehunnie.” Yixing reaches out with his free hand, the one that is not wrapped around Sehun’s waist, and his fingers close around Yifan’s hand. “I’m glad you came.”

 

Yifan goes still at Yixing’s touch on him. He is staring unblinkingly at Yixing, as if he’s forgotten how to breathe. Sehun can definitely identify with Yifan. He knows the feeling of Yixing taking your breath away with a simple touch.

 

The lift dings and the elevator doors open. Yifan immediately stands up straight, squaring his shoulders. As they step out of the lift into the underground carpark, Yifan’s alpha pheromones flood the air. Sehun knows that his own omega pheromones must be renting the air too, announcing to all around that he was in heat, an invitation to all alphas and betas in the vicinity, but Yifan’s pheromones wash over him, staking his claim over him, making him feel safe. Yifan’s scent is so strong, so overpowering, it leaves no doubt as to what a strong alpha Yifan is. The people they encounter actually part before them, making way for them to walk through. Sehun leans his weight on Yixing, with his arms around Yixing’s shoulders, Yixing’s arm wrapped protectively around his waist, while Yifan walks a step behind them, his own hand resting on Yixing’s lower back.

 

“My car’s parked over there.”

 

Yifan’s car is a black Aston Martin. Yixing guides Sehun gently into the backseat, and slides in together with him. Sehun immediately drapes himself over Yixing, curling into him. Yixing tells Yifan Sehun’s address. Yifan keys it into the GPS, and the car pulls out of the parking lot in a rev of engine and squealing tires.

 

Yixing cups Sehun’s crotch, rubbing his palm over the clothed hardness.

 

“Does it hurt a lot, Sehunnie?”

 

“Lay hyung.” Sehun murmurs weakly, spasms of his heat coursing through him, as he bucks up into Yixing’s touch. “Please… hyung, help me… please…”

 

“Hyung is here, baby. You’re going to be alright. Hyung is going to take care of you. Just a while longer.”

 

Yixing holds Sehun throughout the entire duration of the car ride, cradling Sehun in his arms as the spasms rock through him, petting Sehun’s hair and kissing him on the forehead, all the while murmuring encouragements and endearments. When they reach the carpark of Sehun’s block, Yixing carries Sehun bridal style up to the apartment, and Sehun can’t bring himself to feel self-conscious. He merely clings onto Yixing obediently, even as Yifan’s alpha scent assaults his senses.

 

They finally make it back to Sehun’s apartment. Yixing gently sits Sehun on the stool at the bar top dining table of the kitchen.

 

“Where do you keep the pills?”

 

“Over there.” Sehun points to the cabinet. “Bottom shelf.”

 

Yixing crosses the small kitchen to take them. Yifan pours a glass of water, and sets it on the table in front of Sehun. It takes all of Sehun’s willpower not to jump Yifan. Every instinct in his body calls for it, for him to be filled by the alpha who has claimed him. Sehun knows that it must be the same for Yifan too, and that with an iron will, Yifan must be controlling his instincts to not bend over and fuck his claimed omega.

 

Sehun waits. The glass of water is ready, but the pills do not come. Sehun looks up. Yixing is standing in the centre of the kitchen, bottle of pills in hand. He is standing rooted to the spot, frowning as he reads the label of the bottle.

 

“Yixing? What’s the matter? Give Sehun the pills.”

 

Yixing looks up, his eyes flashing with anger.

 

“Sehunnie, it says here that these pills have side effects. Did you know this?”

 

Sehun whimpers as a fresh spasm courses through him. He can’t be bothered about the side effects at this point in time. They are the least of his concerns. He needs the pills, right now.

 

“It says here that consumption of these pills may lead to constant feelings of nausea and prolonged loss of appetite. Is this why you haven’t been eating properly? All along, I thought you had a small appetite, and that you were just forgetful. But actually, it’s been because of these pills, hasn’t it? Because of them, you can’t eat, and because you don’t eat, you’ve developed gastric, you often suffer from low blood sugar, and you’re so thin…”

 

“Please, Lay hyung. All suppressants have side effects, and the doctor says that I’m just more sensitive to the chemicals than most people are. This brand is already the one that I react the least badly to.”

 

“Give him the pills, Yixing. We’ll solve the problem about the appetite loss later. But right now, he needs them.”

 

“No.” Yixing’s face is determined. He walks over to the sink, turns on the tap, and empties the contents of the bottle down it. Sehun gasps as he hears the splashing of the water in the basin, as the swirling water brings the pills he so desperately needs down the drain.

 

“Yixing!” Yifan crosses the kitchen to the sink to stop Yixing, but it is already too late.

 

“The pills were harming his health!”

 

“I’ve scent-marked him, Yixing! I could override your claim on him cos you’re a beta, but I’m an alpha, and no one can override my scent on him. Without those pills, he’s going to crave me for the entirety of his heat! You can take care of him all you want, but no one but me is going to be able to satisfy him, and there will be nothing you can do. He’s going to be suffering throughout the duration of his heat! Is that what you want?”

 

“No, of course not.” Yixing walks over to where Sehun is sitting. He tilts Sehun’s face up and kisses Sehun thoroughly. “You know hyung would never allow you to suffer, right, Sehunnie? You are too precious to me for that.”

 

“Then what do you propose we do? You won’t let him take the pills. There’s no way to undo my scent-mark on him. You are also unwilling to let him suffer through the heat. Tell me how you think this can be done?!”

 

Yixing doesn’t say anything in response, but merely holds on tightly to Sehun, watching Yifan in silence. Sehun watches as realisation dawns on Yifan’s face in the wake of the silence that has descended in the kitchen.

 

“No. Yixing, you can’t mean for me to do that.” Yifan’s face is pale, and his voice a whisper. “It won’t be fair to Sehun. It’s you he loves.”

 

It’s only when Yifan says that, does realisation dawn on Sehun as well. He stares up at Yixing in shock. But Yixing is not looking at Sehun. His eyes are locked with Yifan’s. He is meeting Yifan’s gaze evenly, at once both calm and challenging. 

 

“Why not? Don’t tell me you don’t want this.” Yixing runs a hand down the side of Sehun’s cheek as he tilts Sehun’s face towards Yifan. “He’s beautiful, is he not? And he smells so good, does he not?”

 

“Lay hyung.” Sehun’s voice is soft and pleading, and the two simple words are enough for Yixing’s attention to be back on him.

 

“It’s alright, my precious Sehunnie,” Yixing says, cupping his face. “My beautiful Sehunnie. Hyung is here. You trust hyung, don’t you?”

 

Sehun nods. He trusts Yixing, no matter what. Yixing beams at him.

 

“Kris hyung and I will both take care of you during your heat. You’ll like that, won’t you, baby? I’ll be here with you, every step of the way. I’ll make sure you are safe, and are taken care of, always.”

 

Yixing pulls Sehun off the stool and up to his feet. He hugs Sehun to him, and Sehun burrows into the embrace, rubbing his cock on Yixing. Yixing holds Sehun close, one hand on his lower back, and the hand slipping downwards, into the waistband of Sehun’s pants. Then his hand slips in. Sehun gasps as he feels Yixing’s hand on his skin, touching him from underneath his pants, underneath his underwear. Yixing grabs and kneads Sehun’s butt cheeks, and Sehun feels his knees go weak. Yixing dips a finger inside Sehun’s hole, and Sehun blushes furiously, because Yixing is fingering him right in full view of Yifan. Yifan stands stock still at the other end of the kitchen, not moving a muscle, but the pheromones that are flooding the air betray him. Yifan is aroused.

 

“You’re already so wet, Sehunnie,” Yixing says as his finger dips in and out. “And you’re so tight. I thought I fucked you right open last night, but you’re so tight again. Your body recovers so quickly, baby.”

 

It happens quickly. In a flash, Yifan has crossed the kitchen and yanked Yixing away from Sehun. He slams Yixing against the wall of the kitchen, then moves to cage Yixing in, his bigger bulk easily towering over Yixing’s smaller frame.

 

“You’ve slept with Sehun?” Yifan’s voice is low, dangerous, almost a snarl. His hand is clasped around Yixing’s throat.

 

“Yes.” Yixing is voice is even, calm. “Last night, the night before that, and the night before that too. Before you scent-marked him, or me. Is there a problem?”

 

Yifan deflates. His lets the hand that been on Yixing’s neck drop.

 

“No. You’re right. I have no right to get upset. I have no claim over you. You’ve told me very clearly, many times, that you don’t want to be with me. And it’s obvious that you’ve chosen Sehun. You have every right to have slept with him.”

 

Yifan takes a step back from Yixing. He looks absolutely miserable.

 

“I should go. I’ll go to the drugstore and get you a new bottle of suppressants, Sehun.”

 

He turns to leave, but Yixing launches himself at him, hugging him from the back.

 

“No. Stay.”

 

“Yixing.”

 

“Stay. You have every right to. You’ve scent-marked me. You’ve scent-marked Sehunnie. You have every right to claim us, to make us yours.”

 

“You know I only did that to make Ronald Greden back off. I won’t force myself on you, or on Sehun. I want nothing more than to claim you as my own, Yixing, but I only want it if you want me back too.”

 

“But I do want you,” Yixing admits, his face buried in Yifan’s back.

 

Yifan turns around, so that he is facing Yixing.

 

“I’ve always wanted you. Every time I rejected you, it broke my heart too. You’ve always made me feel loved and protected, and that feeling is the best feeling in the world for me.”

 

“Then… why?”

 

“You know why. No matter how much I wanted you, I couldn’t give myself to you, because entering a relationship with you would have meant abandoning Sehunnie. And that is something that I can never, ever do. But if Sehunnie’s in the equation with us, then it’s okay.”

 

Yixing takes Yifan’s hand, and guides it so that it cups Yixing’s butt. Sehun can literally see the blood draining from Yifan’s face when his open palm closes over the curve of Yixing’s ass.

 

“Do you want this?” Yixing asks.

 

Yifan just gawks at Yixing, unable to answer.

 

Yixing steps away lightly from Yifan, allowing Yifan’s hand to naturally fall off his butt as he does so. Sehun can see Yifan’s eyes on Yixing, his gaze nailed on Yixing’s ass, the sway of his hips as he moves.

 

“If you want me, you can have me.” Yixing promises Yifan. “But only after we take care of Sehunnie. Sehunnie comes first.”

 

Yixing steps up to Sehun. Sehun has never been so grateful to hold on to Yixing, as yet another spasm rocks through him. Yixing gathers Sehun in his arms, and pulls him down for yet another very thorough kiss.

 

“You know that, don’t you, Sehunnie? That for hyung, you’ll always come first. Hyung will always put you first.”

 

“Lay hyung, please…” Sehun begs. He ruts against Yixing. Yixing rubs at Sehun’s clothed erection.

 

“You’re so hard, Sehunnie. You’ve been so hard, for so long. Does it hurt a lot?”

 

“Please… Lay hyung… please…”

 

“My poor baby. Your pants must feel so tight.”

 

Yixing unbuckles the clasp at the top of Sehun’s pants, and pulls down the zip.

 

“Yixing!” Yifan cries out a warning, but Yixing ignores him.

 

He strips Sehun of his pants and boxer briefs, and Sehun gasps out in relief when his cock is freed from its tight confines at last. Yixing wraps his fingers around Sehun’s hard shaft, and he pumps Sehun. The relief the friction provides is overwhelming, and Sehun cannot help but buck into Yixing’s hand. Though the friction is heavenly, it does not provide Sehun with the release he wants. Sehun knows why. Yixing’s beta claim on his heat has been replaced by Yifan’s alpha scent, and now his omega body has been genetically hardwired to be able to be satisfied by only Yifan, at least for the duration of this heat.

 

“Alpha…” Sehun cries out to Yifan. “Alpha, please…”

 

Despite Sehun’s pleas, Yifan remains where he is, several steps away from Yixing and Sehun.

 

Yixing sits down on the bar stool, and he pulls Sehun into his lap. Sehun is seated on Yixing’s thighs, facing Yixing, back towards Yifan. Yixing reaches down to pull off Sehun’s socks too, and after that, Sehun is absolutely naked from waist down, not a stitch on him. He’s still wearing his dress shirt though, and it’s long enough that it just covers the curve of his bum, so Yixing hikes up the shirt, exposing Sehun’s naked ass. Yixing lifts up Sehun’s bum and parts his butt cheeks, and Sehun whimpers, knowing that he is being put on display for Yifan.

 

“Isn’t it the prettiest thing you’ve ever seen?” Yixing says to Yifan. “Milky white, and absolutely delectable. I promise you that sinking your cock into this is just as good as how it looks it would be.”

 

“Does this feel good, baby?” Yixing asks as he inserts a finger up Sehun’s entrance.

 

“Please… Lay hyung… I need… I need…”

 

“What do you need, baby? It’s okay, don’t be shy. Just say it out loud. Whatever you need, hyung will make it happen for you.”

 

“Alpha….” Sehun gasps out. “I need alpha…”

 

“Don’t just call him alpha, Sehunnie. Say his name.”

 

“Kris hyung.”

 

“Look at him when you call his name.”

 

Held securely in Yixing’s arms, Sehun turns his head to look back at Yifan. Yifan is standing as still as a statue, absolutely transfixed.

 

“Kris hyung, please….”

 

“Tell him what you need from him.”

 

“Kris hyung, please…. Need you… Inside me…”

 

Sehun’s plea breaks Yifan at last. Almost snarling, he closes the distance between them, moving faster than Sehun had thought anyone would be capable of, and suddenly Sehun’s senses are filled with the blissful scent of alpha, alpha, alpha. Yifan grabs Sehun’s cock in his hand. Sehun can feel Yifan’s clothed crotch grinding into his bare butt crack. Yifan is rock hard. Yifan pumping his cock immerses Sehun’s entire being into waves of pleasure. It only takes a few strokes before Sehun is releasing his pleasure, his cum spurting out onto Yifan’s hand and onto Yixing’s clothes.

 

“Lovely. You look so pretty when you come, Sehunnie.” Yixing praises as he holds Sehun steady throughout the spasms that wreck his body. “Are you feeling better now, baby?”

 

Sehun nods as he slumps into Yixing, satiated and relief washing over him. He still feels the burn in his hole, from needing to be filled, but at least the pressure in his cock has been released at last. Behind him, Yifan growls and rocks into him, his hard erection pressing into his butt crack.

 

“Fuck, Sehun. You smell so good.”

 

Sehun hears the sound of a zipper being pulled down behind him. He moans and pushes back, wriggling his bum into Yifan’s crotch.

 

“No,” says Yixing. He holds out a hand, blocking Yifan’s crotch from Sehun’s hole. “Not here. Carry him to the bed. I want Sehunnie to be comfortable when we penetrate him.”

 

Yifan gathers Sehun up into his arms.

 

“Slowly,” says Yixing, as he helps transfer Sehun from his lap and into Yifan’s arms. “Be gentle with Sehunnie.”

 

Yifan carries Sehun, bridal-style, to the bed. Sehun clings onto Yifan’s shoulders, breathing in the alpha’s delicious scent. Sehun is laid gently on the bed, and Yixing climbs over him, covering him in warm kisses as he slowly unbuttons Sehun’s shirt, one button at a time. Eventually Sehun’s shirt is slipped off his shoulders, and Sehun is laid out on the bed, completely nude, while both Yixing and Yifan are still fully clothed.

 

“He’s gorgeous, isn’t he?” Yixing is lying on his side, next to Sehun, his head propped up on one hand, his other hand sliding all over Sehun’s bare chest, playing with his nipples. A finger ghosts over his lips, outlining them. “Would you like to kiss him? You can kiss him, if you want.”

 

Yifan does not need to be invited twice. He climbs over Sehun and claims Sehun’s lips. Kissing Yifan, Sehun realises, is very different from kissing Yixing. Their paces are different, the timings when they put pressure and when they let up are different. Yixing’s lips are fuller, and where Yixing is warm and soft and moist, Yifan is hard and domineering, but with an underlying gentleness. However, kissing Yifan and Yixing is similar in one aspect‒ their sheer lust for Sehun shines through each and every movement of their lips. Sehun moans into the kiss, rubbing his entrance against the sheets underneath him, aching to be filled.

 

Sehun realises that while Yifan had been kissing him, Yixing had been busy undressing Yifan. When Yifan pulls back, sitting back on his haunches, kneeling on the bed in between Sehun’s legs, Sehun sees that Yifan has already been divested of most of his clothes. The only article of clothing left is his white shirt, which has already been unbuttoned and is hanging loosely on his shoulders. He looks gorgeous, Sehun thinks. His broad shoulders, his lean frame, his taut muscles, his abs… every bit of him showcases what a strong alpha he is.

 

A finger sliding into Sehun’s hole is enough to bring Sehun’s attention back to Yixing. He gasps at the intrusion, his muscles involuntarily clamping down upon the foreign intrusion that is trying to force its way in, but at the same time, his need makes him want to buck down on it, welcoming any intrusion that might reach deep inside him.

 

“Ah… I’ve been pampering you too much, Sehunnie,” Yixing’s voice is a seductive purr in his ear, as he moves his finger in and out. “Letting you comfortably enjoy just one finger breaching your entrance. But look at the size of Yifan.”

 

Sehun looks, and his mouth goes dry. Yifan’s erection is jutting out, hard and proud. He’s huge. Longer and wider than anything Sehun has ever seen before, and his knot hasn’t even formed yet.

 

“You’re going to have that stuffed into your tight little hole. We’re going have to prepare you for that, won’t we, Sehunnie? If not, it’s going to be splitting you wide open.”

 

Yifan spreads Sehun’s legs wider, and Yixing slips in a second finger, and Sehun gasps at the burn.

 

“You’re doing so well, Sehunnie. Three fingers now.”

 

True to Yixing’s warning, a third finger goes in, and Sehun whimpers and thrashes on the bed.

 

“I don’t think it’s enough.” Yifan objects when Yixing pulls out all three fingers from Sehun’s entrance. “He’s still looks too tight.”

 

“I agree. Three fingers won’t be enough. Not when you’re so big.”

 

Sehun bucks his hips, moaning wantonly, trying to get Yixing to put his fingers back inside him. The need in his hole is burning, and he desperately needs the reprieve. But Yixing’s attention is now on Yifan. He slides up to Yifan, kneeling on the bed next to him, his hand sliding up Yifan’s bare torso and hooking around the back of Yifan’s neck as he leans up to kiss Yifan. Their kiss is rough, both of them fighting for dominance, but eventually Yifan is successful in dominating the kiss and Yixing submits, letting Yifan plunder his mouth. As they kiss, Yixing’s hand wraps itself around Yifan’s hard cock, pumping up and down his hard length.

 

“I always knew you’ll be big. But this is huge.”

 

Yixing unzips his own pants, and he tugs aside his own underwear, just enough for his own cock to spring free. He aligns his cock with Yifan’s. Yixing has a sizeable cock, but Yifan’s still overshadows it in size. Yixing is only about the two-thirds the length of Yifan. Yixing lines up their cocks together, and he pumps the both of them at the same time.

 

“You’re too big for Sehunnie to take just like that. Let me fuck Sehunnie first? Let me open him up for you. You’ll allow me to, right? Allow me to fuck your claimed omega first, before you do?”

 

Yifan’s answering growl is the only warning Yixing gets before Yifan’s hand shoots out to clamp Yixing around the throat and slam him down on the bed next to Sehun. Yifan straddles Yixing, using his body weight to pin Yixing down, and he rips Yixing’s clothes off him. Yixing's shirt falls off him in tatters, buttons flying in all directions, his pants get ripped and his underwear is torn into two. Almost snarling, Yifan bends down to attack Yixing’s neck, his knee forcing Yixing’s legs apart.

 

“Later.” Yixing’s voice cuts through the air, penetrating in its gentleness, the polar opposite of Yifan’s aggressive passion. “You can have me, I promise. But later. Sehunnie first, alright?”

 

Yifan stills above Yixing, and Yixing rewards him with a chaste kiss on the cheek. Then, he rolls over from under Yifan to climb over Sehun. He kisses Sehun, cupping his face in his hands. Sehun whines up into the kiss.

 

“Hyung is here, baby. Hyung did not forget you.”

 

Sehun feels the tip of Yixing’s hard cock probing at his entrance, and he gasps and arches his back off the bed as Yixing slides smoothly into him, his muscles forced to stretch and accommodate Yixing’s girth as Yixing pushes in. Despite the stretch, the feeling of being filled full feels right. Yixing pulls out, and when he pushes in again, he hits the sweet spot inside Sehun, and Sehun moans. Sehun’s legs are spread open as wide as he can possibly go, bent at the knees as Yixing sets a slow and gentle pace, his thrusts sure and steady. Sehun feels his cock hardening again, despite his recent orgasm. Yixing bends down frequently to kiss Sehun, and Sehun finds himself unable to focus on the kisses, and he often breaks the kisses to cry out when Yixing hits the sweet spot inside him. It feels good, but it is not enough for Sehun to come. The need builds inside him, incited by Yixing thrusting inside him, almost enough to satiate him, but not quite.

 

Yixing comes with a shudder, slumping over Sehun as he pumps his release inside. By this time, Sehun is almost sobbing with need. When Yixing bends down to claim his lips, Sehun can barely muster the strength to respond to the kiss through his gasps and sniffles, tears threatening to leak out of the corners of his eyes.

 

“Lay hyung, I can’t take it anymore. Make it stop.”

 

“My poor baby.” Yixing is stroking his hair, his touch gentle and comforting. “I’m sorry you had to wait so long. But it’s going to be Kris hyung now, okay? Kris hyung will make you feel better, I promise.”

 

Yixing swaps places with Yifan on the bed. Now, it is Yixing lying next to Sehun, holding him, while Yifan is kneeling in between Sehun’s legs. Yifan holds Sehun’s legs open, and the tip of his cock easily finds Sehun’s entrance, already fucked wide open by Yixing. Even then, it still burns when Yifan pushes in, stretching Sehun impossibly bigger. Sehun gasps and thrashes at the burn, but Yixing is quick to soothe him. Yixing hold on him is steady and comforting, and Sehun holds onto his arms like a lifeline.

 

As Yifan leans over him, Yifan’s scent permeates Sehun’s senses, and a feeling of bliss overwhelms him. It takes several thrusts before he is able to find the sweet spot inside Sehun, but when Yifan finally hits it, Sehun very nearly screams. The pleasure is intense, almost making him see stars. A few more thrusts, then Sehun feels Yifan’s knot form inside him. Yifan is fucking Sehun in earnest now, pulling out all the way, trusting his knot to hold, to prevent himself from being able to truly withdraw from Sehun’s hole, then snapping his hips to thrust back in with speed and force.

 

Meanwhile, Yixing is pumping Sehun’s hard cock, his fingers beating up and down Sehun’s shaft at a terrifying speed, and Sehun is in ecstasy. Yifan’s knot keeps hitting the burning spot inside Sehun, and each hit is such searing relief, it allows Sehun to go over the edge. Sehun’s orgasm hits him hard, his body convulsing uncontrollably, and his mind blanks out from the pleasure. His cum spurts all over his stomach, and it’s sticky and messy, but Sehun can’t bring himself to care.

 

The back of Sehun’s head hits the pillow, and his entire body going limp. Yixing turns Sehun’s face to him, and he leans down to kiss Sehun thoroughly.

 

“Are you feeling better, baby?”

 

Sehun nods, and Yixing beams at this.

 

“You were so pretty just now, Sehunnie. You have no idea.”

 

“Fuck Sehun.” Sehun turns to look at Yifan, who is still plundering his hole. “You are so relaxed now, so pliant. You feel so fucking good.”

 

Yifan leans down and his lips claim Sehun’s. It was when they are kissing that Yifan comes. His ejaculate shoots up into Sehun, mixing with Yixing’s. Yifan slumps on the bed, lying beside Sehun. Yixing leans over to plant a kiss on Yifan’s cheek. When Yixing tries to draw back, Yifan does not allow Yixing to. He pulls Yixing right back in, and their lips meet. They kiss passionately, for a long time.

 

As hot as it is to watch, Sehun is feeling a little left out, so he immediately whines when the kiss is broken. The small sound emitting from his throat is enough for Yixing to immediately focus on Sehun. He pushes Sehun back down on the bed, drapes himself over Sehun, and Sehun gets his own long and passionate kiss from Yixing. Yifan lies next to them, smiling indulgently, as he traces a hand over Yixing’s bare back and arse while Yixing kisses Sehun.

 

After the kiss is over, Yixing disentangles himself from Sehun, and moves to get out of the bed. Sehun immediately latches onto to Yixing, throwing his arms around his hyung and burying his face into Yixing’s shoulder. Yixing laughs, and kisses the top of Sehun’s forehead.

 

“I’m just going to get you a wet towel, Sehunnie. To get you cleaned up. Hyung will be back soon. Kris hyung will hold you for a while first, alright?”

 

Yixing detaches Sehun’s arms from around his body. At the same time, Yifan reaches over to gather Sehun into his arms. Sehun finds his head pillowed on Yifan’s shoulder, as Yifan holds him close with an arm around Sehun’s shoulders.

 

“Sehun,” Yifan whispers once they hear the bathroom door close. “Anti-pregnancy pills. Do you have them?”

 

“Yes.” Sehun answers, throwing a look at the closed bathroom door. “In the same cabinet where I kept the suppressant pills. I already took one this morning. I only need to take one a day.”

 

Yifan nods. “Tomorrow morning then.”

 

Their eyes meet, and Sehun knows that they have an unspoken agreement to keep this from Yixing, lest Yixing decides not to let Sehun take the anti-pregnancy pills either. Anti-pregnancy pills come with their own set of side effects, and when put in the knowledge of this, Sehun is not sure if Yixing would choose Sehun experiencing the side effects or Sehun running the risk of pregnancy. Of course, they could just use condoms, but Yixing has yet to mention this. Sehun knows that this must be a deliberate choice on Yixing’s part. Yixing is nothing if not meticulous when it comes to Sehun, and choosing to fuck Sehun without condoms cannot be an oversight. Yixing must dislike it, the feeling of using condoms.

 

Sehun looks at Yifan. It feels strange, to have something that’s between just him and Yifan. The look in Yifan’s eyes changes. It is filled with such intent that Sehun’s heart flutters. He leans up at the same time that Yifan leans down, and their lips meet. Sehun has lost count of the number of times Yifan kissed him when they were having sex just now, but somehow, this feels different. It feels like their first kiss.

 

“Kissing without me?”

 

Yixing is back, his dimple on full display as he smiles fondly at both Sehun and Yifan. He is dressed now, in a loose-fitting t-shirt and track pants. Even though he knows Yixing was only teasing, Sehun is still quick to pull Yixing down for a kiss. Yixing is smiling into the kiss, and seeing that makes Sehun feel a rush of warmth.

 

Yixing wipes Sehun’s face with a wet towel. The towel feels warm and nice. Then he wipes down Sehun’s body, taking care especially to clean Sehun’s entrance. After that, he holds up a knitted grey jumper for Sehun to wear. Sehun recognises it. It’s Yifan’s. The one he was just wearing, on top of his white button-down and jeans.  Sehun obediently raises his arms so that Yixing can put it on him. It’s slightly too big for him, the neck hole exposing too much of Sehun’s collarbones. It smells good though. It smells of Yifan, and this makes Sehun feel safe. When Sehun lies back down on the bed, the material bunches up, exposing him from waist down, but Yixing tugs it down, so that it just covers his crotch and his bum. After that, Yixing tucks Sehun in, pulling the blanket up to his chin.

 

“Are you tired, Sehunnie? You can sleep, if you want.”

 

“Lay hyung, stay with me?”

 

“Of course, baby.”

 

Yixing lifts up the blanket and he slides in with Sehun. Sehun immediately curls up into Yixing. Yifan plants a kiss on the back of Sehun’s head, then gives Yixing a quick peck on the lips, before he rises from the bed to go to the bathroom, leaving Yixing and Sehun to cuddle.

 

Yixing’s neck is now sporting four deep purple bruises, love bites left behind by Yifan. Sehun traces his fingers over them.

 

“Do they hurt?”

 

“No, they don’t. So don’t worry about it, okay baby? You have one here too.” Yixing’s fingers ghost over the spot on Sehun’s neck. “Where Yifan scent-marked you.”

 

Sehun touches the spot too. He didn’t know that a physical mark had been left behind.

 

“It looks so good on you, Sehunnie.”

 

Sehun blushes as Yixing kisses the top of his forehead gently. Feeling safe and warm in Yixing’s arms, Sehun’s allows his tired muscles to relax, and his mind to drift as he allows sleep to take over him.

 

Sehun is startled awake, when the world beneath him shakes. He jerks up, supporting his weight with his elbows. He blinks. It’s late, in the middle of the night. The bed rocks forward again, bringing Sehun helplessly along with it.

 

“Stop… Yifan… stop. You’ve waken Sehunnie.”

 

Yixing barely manages to get the words out, in between his gasps and sharp intakes of air. He's spread out on the bed next to Sehun, Yifan on top of him, pounding into him at a merciless pace. His legs are spread open, bent at the knees, his thighs bouncing against Yifan with every thrust. Yixing is clinging onto Yifan’s back, as Yifan relentlessly plunders him.

 

“Yifan, stop… please… Sehunnie is awake…”

 

Sehun can tell Yixing’s pleas are falling on deaf ears. Yifan is too far gone to stop now. His pace is harsh, every thrust hard and rough. When he was fucking Sehun, he was not as gentle with Sehun as Yixing had been, but now as he is knotting Yixing, Sehun realises how much more gentle Yifan had been with him in comparison.

 

“What’s the matter, Yixing?” Yifan growls out. “Can’t bear to let your precious little Sehunnie see you like this? Why, is little Sehunnie not meant to you like this, to see how you look like when your pretty little ass gets owned?”

 

To Sehun’s horror, Yixing does turn his face away from Sehun, to face the other direction. With a sinking feeling in his heart, Sehun realises that Yifan is right.

 

“You better get used to this, Zhang Yixing. Now that I have tasted how sweet your ass is, there’s no way I am going to let you go. You are mine, and the whole world is going to know. And the first one to know can be your precious little Sehunnie.”

 

Sehun puts a tentative hand on Yixing’s shoulder. “You look beautiful like this, Lay hyung.”

 

Yixing acts like he hasn’t heard Sehun. He is still facing the other direction. Maybe it’s the hormones of his heat affecting him, but Sehun can’t stand it, the way Yixing refuses to look at him. His eyes start to fill with tears.

 

“Lay hyung, look at me, please.”

 

Yixing still refuses to relent. He hasn’t realised that Sehun is crying. But Yifan does, and he stills above Yixing.

 

“Fine. You can fuck Sehun, while I fuck you. You can remind Sehun about how you own him, while I own you. That would solve the problem, right?” Yifan turns to Sehun. “Come on, Sehunnie. Spread your legs for your Lay hyung.”

 

Sehun pushes the blanket off him, and moves to comply. He’s about to pull Yifan’s jumper off him, but Yifan stops him.

 

“No. Keep it on.”

 

Sehun does, and lies down with his legs spread open. Yifan bodily shifts Yixing’s position. With his knot still firmly embedded in Yixing’s hole, he turns Yixing around, so that Yixing is back facing him, and then he deposits Yixing in between Sehun’s legs, such that Yixing is front facing Sehun.

 

Yixing climbs over Sehun, and it only then it strikes Yixing how watery Sehun’s eyes are.

 

“Sehunnie!” Yixing says, cupping Sehun’s face in alarm. “My precious baby. What’s this? What happened?”

 

“Lay hyung, you… you didn’t look at me…” Sehun feels embarrassed, knowing that this is a silly reason to cry. But at the same time, he is filled with the urge to let Yixing know this, to let Yixing know how he made him feel.

 

“Sorry, baby. Hyung was so thoughtless.” Yixing is quick to apologise. “Hyung won’t do it again. Forgive hyung, alright?”

 

Sehun nods, trying to blink his tears away. Yixing kisses him gently, and Sehun loses himself in the kiss. As they kiss, Yixing dips a finger inside Sehun, to stretch him open. Soon, a finger from another hand not belonging to Yixing joins in.

 

“Fuck, Sehun. I thought we just fucked you. How are you so tight again?”

 

Sehun is given no opportunity to reply Yifan, as Yixing continues to kiss Sehun thoroughly, not even letting up for a moment or two to allow Sehun to reply. Sehun figures it was a rhetorical question anyway. To Yifan’s credit, he remains still as Yixing prepares Sehun, giving Yixing as much time as he needs. It is only when Yixing is sheathed in does Yifan move again. His thrusts are hard and fast, each thrust pushing Yixing involuntarily into Sehun, causing Yixing to plunder Sehun’s hole at a harsher pace than he would normally. Sehun likes this, likes the way the tip of Yixing’s cock pommels that burning spot inside him. Sehun is rock hard by now, and he is straining for release. But no matter how good Yixing’s cock feels, it just not enough.

 

Yifan completes inside Yixing, and his shudders rock both Yixing and Sehun beneath him. He pulls out of Yixing with a wet squelch, and he slumps down on the bed next to Sehun to recover. Yixing continues to draw his pleasure from Sehun, moving more slowly and more gently now that Yifan is not above him to set the pace. It is sweet and loving, and Sehun basks in it, loving the way Yixing’s attention is fixed solely on him.

 

“Sehunnie, hyung is going to come.”

 

Sehun hugs Yixing to him as he comes, holding Yixing close, one hand on Yixing’s back and the other hand on the back of his head. Yixing lies on top of Sehun for a while, then he pulls out from Sehun. Sehun moans the loss, but at the same time, he is overwhelmed with need, a need that he knows only Yifan can satisfy. Yifan had been lying next to them, resting, but now Yixing climbs into between his legs. Yifan lies there, watching Yixing languidly as Yixing’s mouth descends on Yifan’s limp cock. Sehun watches as Yixing swirls his tongue around the head, stopping momentarily to look up at Yifan. Then his lips slide down to engulf Yifan’s cock, licking and sucking, coaxing it into hardness. Looking at Yixing’s thick lips wrapped around Yifan’s cock as he bobs his head up and down is absolutely sinful.

 

Yifan’s cock is now fully hard, tall and rigid. Yixing pulls his mouth away from it, and Yifan climbs over Sehun to sink his shaft into Sehun’s waiting hole. By this time, Sehun is mewing with need. Sehun barely lasts three or four thrusts before he reaches his climax, ribbons of white ejaculate spurting out from his cock, ruining Yifan’s expensive jumper. Exhaustion overtakes Sehun, and he drifts off to sleep in Yixing’s arms, even as he feels Yifan’s knot forming inside him, as Yifan continues to pump steadily in and out of Sehun’s hole.

 

Sehun wakes up to the smell of coffee, and of food cooking in the kitchen. It’s bright. Sunlight is streaming in from the apartment windows. He blinks blurrily as he sits up in bed. The blanket that had been tucked under his chin falls down and pools at his waist. Sehun realises that he’s not naked, but wearing something. A light blue shirt that belongs to Yixing this time, judging from the lingering scent. He’s wearing absolutely nothing else underneath, and the silky material rubs against his bare cock and ass, reminding him of what woke him up from his slumber in the first place. Need from his heat has built up within him again, burning deep inside his hole, straining his cock.

 

“Oh, you’re awake, Sehunnie.”

 

Sehun looks towards the source of the voice, and he sees that Yixing is pottering around the open kitchen, in the midst of cooking. Yifan is seated at the bar counter, reading the paper and drinking a cup of coffee.

 

“Could you bring Sehunnie a glass of water, Yifan? I can’t leave the soup right now, it’s boiling.”

 

Yifan stands up to comply, but not before making a detour to Yixing, so that he can back hug Yixing and plant a kiss at the tip of his ear first. Yixing giggles, and squirms out of Yifan’s embrace in favour of stirring the soup. Yifan pours out a glass of water, and brings it to Sehun.

 

“Morning, sweetheart.”

 

Yifan pets the top of Sehun’s head, and plants a kiss on his forehead. His hand feels warm. He passes the glass of water to Sehun. Then, discreetly, he slips a pill into Sehun’s hand. Sehun recognises the bright blue pill immediately. An anti-pregnancy pill. Yifan is standing directly in front Sehun, blocking Sehun from Yixing’s line of sight. Sehun quickly slips the pill into his mouth, and he washes it down with the glass of water. Yifan’s about to bring the empty glass back to the kitchen when Sehun stops him, hugging Yifan around the waist.

 

“Kris hyung…” Sehun’s voice is pleading.

 

Yifan reaches down, and his hand brushes against Sehun’s cock, which is painfully hard. Yifan smirks down at Sehun, and Sehun blushes, burying his face into Yifan’s shirt. Yifan sets down the empty glass on the bedside table, and without further ado, Sehun finds himself back flat on the bed, dragged down and spread open by the ankles, the movement causing Yixing’s shirt to bunch up at his waist. Yifan positions himself in between Sehun’s legs. Sehun gasps as Yifan’s mouth descends upon his cock. Sehun can barely believe it. An alpha is pleasuring him, a mere omega, with his mouth. Then Yifan sucks, and a finger penetrates Sehun’s wet entrance at the same time, and all coherent thought flies out of his mind. By the time Sehun’s orgasm wrecks him and he is spilling his release down Yifan’s throat, Yifan has already worked four fingers inside Sehun’s hole. Yifan swallows the last of Sehun’s cum, and gives Sehun’s now flaccid cock one last lick, before he pulls his fingers out of Sehun’s hole and climbs over Sehun, and Sehun braces himself for what he knows is about to come.

 

Sehun glances over at the kitchen. Yixing is still cooking steadily, the sound of slicing vegetables filling the small studio apartment. He does look over every now and then, and he smiles fondly at Sehun when he catches Sehun looking at him. Yifan lifts up Sehun’s legs, so that Sehun’s long legs at raised up in the air, 90 degrees to the bed. Yifan shifts them slightly to the side, so that both Sehun’s legs are balanced on his right shoulder. Then he enters Sehun. His huge cock burns Sehun as he goes in, despite the juices leaking out of Sehun’s hole lubricating the movement. Yifan pushes in, easily finding Sehun’s sweet spot, and Sehun stifles his cry when Yifan hits it.

 

“It’s alright, Sehun. You can make all the noise you want.” Yifan instructs. “Let your Lay hyung hear you, let him know how much you are enjoying this, before your Lay hyung accuses me of not taking good care of you.”

 

Yifan’s knot has formed by this time, and he pulls his cock all the way out, only to have the knot stopping it from coming out, then he slams in again, the knot slamming into Sehun’s prostrate, and Sehun lets a cry rip out from his throat.

 

Throughout their coupling, Yifan changes Sehun’s position multiple times, first putting one of Sehun’s legs down, so that one leg is wrapped around Yifan’s waist while the other is still balanced on Yifan’s shoulder, then moving the other leg down too, before pushing them up so that they are both bent at the knees, then pushing Sehun’s knees down to the side, so that while Sehun is lying back flat on the bed, the bottom half of his body is twisted to the side, then eventually flipping Sehun over, pressing Sehun belly flat on the bed, but bending his knees and arms so that Sehun resembles a frog. Sehun obediently allows Yifan to manhandle him into whatever position he wants, only focusing on the delicious pounding of Yifan’s knot on his prostrate, and how good it feels. Yifan has not bothered to undress, so the zipper of Yifan’s jeans hits into Sehun’s butt crack every time Yifan thrusts into him.

 

Yifan comes when he has Sehun in the frog position, his body shuddering above Sehun, his chest moulded against Sehun’s back, one of his hands holding Sehun around the waist as he spills his release into Sehun’s hole. Sehun comes at the same time, a dry orgasm this time because Yifan’s mouth had already milked him dry prior. He feels his hole fluttering involuntarily around Yifan’s deflating cock, as he slumps down on the bed, boneless and satiated, the burning in his hole satisfied at last, for the time being.

 

A warm hand is caressing the back of his head, threading through his hair, and Sehun knows even before looking up that it is Yixing who is touching him. He lifts his head to accept the kiss Yixing plants on the tip of his nose.

 

“Good morning, baby.” Yixing says. “Though I suppose I don’t have to say that. It’s obvious you’ve already had a good morning, haven’t you?”

 

Sehun blushes furiously, and Yixing laughs as he kisses Sehun’s flaming cheeks.

 

“My pretty little Sehunnie,” Yixing praises in between kisses. “My beautiful little Sehunnie.”

 

Somewhere near the bed, Sehun can hear Yifan zipping up his jeans again. Yixing guides Sehun so that he is sitting upright, back against the headboard of the bed, with pillows in between to cushion him comfortably. The top two buttons of the shirt Sehun is wearing have come undone during the bout of sex he just had with Yifan, and Yixing moves to button up the shirt for him. Yixing buttons the first button, but when his fingers move to the second button, they both realise the button isn’t there. Only loose threads remain where the button should be. Sehun doesn’t know for sure when the button had gotten loose, but he supposes it might have been during the time Yifan had snaked his hand through the folds of the shirt, in between the buttons, to pinch his nipples viciously. Sehun looks up at Yixing worriedly, remembering that the shirt is not his, but Yixing only smiles indulgently.

 

He picks up a wet towel from the bedside table, and Sehun sees that Yixing has placed a small basin there, Sehun’s toothbrush, a tube of toothpaste and a small glass of water next to it. Yixing wipes Sehun’s face gently with the wet washcloth. The cloth feels nice and warm. He wipes Sehun’s neck and hands too. Then, he picks up the toothbrush and squeezes some toothpaste onto it. Sehun watches him with wide eyes. Yixing can’t mean to, can he?

 

But Yixing does insert the toothbrush into Sehun’s mouth. Sehun can barely believe it, but Yixing is brushing his teeth for him. Sehun can’t believe the extent to which Yixing is pampering him. He chances a glance at Yifan. He is smirking down at them, his expression amused. He leaves them to it, leaving them to sit back at the kitchen bar counter, where Yixing has laid out breakfast. Yixing is gentle as he brushes Sehun’s teeth, more gentle than Sehun is with himself when he brushes his own teeth. Yixing lifts the small glass of water to Sehun’s lips, and Sehun takes in a mouthful to gargle, before spitting out the water into the empty basin on the bedside table.

 

After Sehun is done, Yixing goes to empty the basin and put the toiletries back in the bathroom. He comes back with a tray laden with breakfast. Yixing has cooked soybean paste soup and raw egg over rice. The aroma is mouth-watering, and Yixing smiles when Sehun tells him so. Yixing puts the tray on the bedside table, and sits on the side of the bed. He picks up the bowl of rice, and scoops up a spoonful of rice to feed Sehun. After Sehun swallows, he scoops up a spoonful of soup and offers it to Sehun, holding the bowl of rice under the spoon to catch any spillage. In this fashion, he alternates between feeding Sehun spoonfuls of rice and soup.

 

“Good job, Sehunnie,” praises Yixing happily when Sehun finishes eating. “I think this is the first time I’ve seen you eat a complete bowl of rice. You usually struggle to even finish half a bowl. I knew putting you off those suppressants was a good idea.”

 

Yixing stands up from the bed, but Sehun’s hand shoots out, clasping Yixing’s wrist.

 

“Lay hyung…” Sehun pleads.

 

Yixing raises an eyebrow. He pulls up Sehun’s shirt, exposing Sehun’s cock, and sure enough, Sehun’s hard again.

 

“Again? That’s fast, Sehunnie.”

 

Sehun blushes, and Yixing chuckles at him.

 

“Yifan,” Yixing calls over his shoulder, but Yifan is already behind him. He hugs Yixing from the back, and Yixing smiles as he leans back into the touch.

 

“I’m here, baby,” says Yifan, kissing Yixing on the neck. “Go eat your breakfast. I’ve got him.”

 

“Love you,” says Yixing as he plants a chaste kiss on the top of Yifan’s lips.

 

He leans down, and Sehun gets a kiss on the mouth too. “I’ll be back shortly, baby. Kris hyung will take care of you first, okay?”

 

Yifan lies down on the bed, and he guides Sehun so that Sehun is straddling him. He unzips his pants and tugs down his underwear, just enough to free his cock. It’s already half-hard, and Sehun is quick to stroke it to full hardness. At Yifan’s instruction, Sehun lowers himself on the hard shaft. It spears up into him, splits him into half. Sehun gasps, as Yifan’s hands on his hips slowly guides him downwards, moving him down so that he fully sheaths Yifan. The bedsheet bunches up in Sehun’s hands as he clutches them desperately as he forces himself to fully sit in Yifan’s lap, the base of his butt touching Yifan’s balls. Sehun feels so full, so impossibly stretched open it burns, but the burning of his stretched anal muscles is no match for the burning deep within him, so Sehun lifts himself up and slams down. Sehun moans when the tip of Yifan’s cock hits his prostrate, relieving Sehun where it burns the most. Yifan supports Sehun by holding him around the waist as Sehun rides him, causing the shirt Sehun is wearing to bunch around his grip. Behind him, Sehun hears the splash of running water in the kitchen sink. Yixing must be doing the dishes.

 

Sehun is still riding Yifan when he feels Yixing sliding behind him, hugging him from the back. Sehun melts into Yixing’s embrace, happy that Yixing is joining them at last. Yixing kisses the back of Sehun’s neck as he reaches over to pump Sehun’s cock.

 

“My perfect little Sehunnie. You’re so hot like this, all needy and insatiable, you know that?”

 

Yifan’s cock is embedded into Sehun’s hole. Yifan’s huge cock already has Sehun feeling like he has been stretched to the brim, but now Yixing’s fingers move to part Sehun’s butt cheeks even further, and Yixing’s cock is probing in at the rim. Sehun’s mouth goes dry when it dawns on him what Yixing is about to do.

 

“Lay hyung…” Sehun pleads. “Please… I can’t…. Kris hyung’s already so big…”

 

Yixing is quick to soothe him, peppering him with warm kisses and making hushing noises.

 

“It’s alright, Sehunnie. Hyung’s got you. Just relax…”

 

Sehun looks to Yifan. Yifan’s face is clouded with lust, and Sehun’s knows he won’t be able to find any help there. Yixing pushes Sehun down in Yifan’s waiting arms, and Yifan holds Sehun tight, drawing comforting circles on his back with his palms, as Yixing’s finger worms its way alongside Yifan’s cock into Sehun’s hole, lifting up and creating a minuscule opening between Yifan’s cock and the roof of Sehun’s entrance, the gap allowing the tip of Yixing’s cock to slide in, entering Sehun’s hole alongside Yifan’s cock.

 

Sehun thrashes and gasps, the sliding of Yixing’s cock into him burning him, stretching him beyond what he thought possible. Yixing pushes slowly but surely into him, until he is fully buried into Sehun.

 

“Fuck, Sehun. You’re so tight.”

 

“My perfect, perfect Sehunnie. You feel so good.”

 

Yixing moves, thrusting into Sehun, and Sehun cries out. Yifan stays still for a while, allowing Sehun to adjust, and then he’s thrusting up too, setting a slightly different pace from Yixing. The two cocks are piercing into him simultaneously, but yet not quite, and Sehun almost wants to die from the onslaught of sessions. By this time, Yifan’s knot has formed, and when Yixing thrusts in, he knocks into it, causing Yifan’s knot to hit him deeper and harder than ever before. The sensations are too much, and Sehun comes, untouched. He slumps forward as the convulsions wrench through him, but Yixing pulls him back towards him possessively, holding him upright, so that his back is molded against Yixing’s chest as he comes. Even after he comes, the alpha and beta continue using Sehun to seek their pleasure. Yixing comes first, he doesn’t pull out, leaving himself inside until Yifan comes as well.

 

They settle Sehun down on the bed, lying in between them. Sehun realises that he's fully naked. Sometime during the bout of sex, the shirt had been ripped off him, and Sehun hadn’t even noticed. He looks around and notices the tattered remains of the shirt lying on the floor. Sehun feels Yixing rising up from the bed, but this time he doesn’t stop Yixing, knowing that Yixing is only going to get a wet towel for him. True enough, Yixing comes back soon, and he’s gentle and tender as he cleans Sehun up.

 

“Could you pass me one of your shirts, Yifan? Maybe a black one this time. Sehunnie will look good in black, don’t you think?”

 

“What’s the point of dressing him? Let’s keep him naked.”

 

“Of course we can’t do that!” Yixing sounds indignant. “What if Sehunnie gets cold?”

 

“Alright, alright.” Sehun can see Yifan fumbling about in a large glider luggage suitcase, one that has been placed neatly next to Yixing’s in a corner of the apartment. It’s Louis Vuitton, meaning that it can only belong to Yifan. Sehun wonders when Yifan had brought his luggage up to the apartment.

 

“You do know that we’re in Sehun’s apartment, right? If you want to dress him, he has an entire closet full of clothes over there,” Yifan says as he hands the folded shirt to Yixing. It’s black, as Yixing requested.

 

“But he looks so good when he wears our clothes.” Yixing tweaks the base of Sehun’s chin playfully. “Don’t you, baby?”

 

Sehun obligingly puts his arms into the sleeves as Yixing helps him into the shirt. The material is soft, silky. The shirt is slightly too big for him, the edges of the shirt falling slightly off his shoulders, and the sleeves dangle a little too low over his wrists. Sehun pouts a little as Yixing buttons him up, because this shirt, unlike the jumper, doesn’t smell of Yifan. It smells like laundry detergent instead.

 

“Look at that. I told you he’ll look good.”

 

Yifan only smirks as he inspects the sight of Sehun sitting on the bed wearing his shirt.

 

“The shirt is only going to get ruined, when I tear it off him later.”

 

“Then maybe you should consider unbuttoning it instead. How much longer would it take?”

 

“Too long.”

 

Yixing rolls his eyes at Yifan’s answer, but Sehun laughs. Yifan winks at Sehun, and Yixing pretends to look exasperated, but his dimple is showing again, betraying the fact that he’s more amused than irritated.

 

Now that he’s dressed, Sehun lies back down on the bed. He immediately reaches out for Yixing, and Yixing is quick to accommodate Sehun, lying down next to him pulling Sehun close so that Sehun’s face is buried in his collarbone. He strokes Sehun’s hair gently, telling Sehun how pretty he is, how perfect. Yixing’s voice is soothing, and Sehun finds himself drifting to sleep, his eyelids too heavy to stay open, every muscle in body strained and tired, yearning for rest.

 

“Look at him. His hole’s stretched so big.” Sehun feels Yifan’s fingers tracing his rim, ghosting lightly over the sore muscles. “I think my fist could probably fit in.”

 

“He recovers quickly. By the time he wakes up and wants another round, he’ll be tight again.” Sehun feels Yixing kissing him lightly on the forehead. “You would be, won’t you, Sehunnie? Tight and perfect for fucking.”

 

Sehun merely grunts in response, too tired to form a coherent response.

 

“He’s awake.” Yifan sounds surprised. “I thought he had fallen asleep already.”

 

“Nah. He’s falling asleep, but not quite there yet. Isn’t that right, Sehunnie?”

 

“How can you tell? He’s lying so still, he looks asleep.”

 

“His breathing is slightly slower and deeper than this when he’s truly asleep. And he’s being so clingy to me right now. When he’s falling asleep, but not quite there, that’s when he’s the most clingy to me. When he’s truly asleep, he loosens up his hold on me.”

 

The thought of this distresses Sehun. He makes a sound at the back of his throat, and holds on tighter to Yixing. Yixing is quick to soothe him.

 

“It’s alright, baby. Hyung is here. Hyung won’t be going anywhere. Hyung will continue holding you, even when you’re fast asleep, okay?”

 

Sehun relaxes, and allows himself to melt into Yixing’s embrace.

 

“That’s it, baby. Relax. Go to sleep.” Yixing is playing with his hair, letting the strands slide through his fingers.

 

“I used to be so jealous of him, you know.”

 

“Is that so?” Yixing sounds amused.

 

“Yes. For me, I had to try so hard to get your attention. Expensive gifts, fancy dinners at high-end restaurants, extravagant holidays. Don’t get me wrong, Yixing, I love doing all these things for you, but it’s just that… he didn’t need to do anything at all. All he needed to do was to be unable to finish his bowl of rice, and then you drop everything to fuss over him.”

 

“How could I not? Look at him. How can anyone not want to take care of him, not want to give him the very best?” A kiss on his forehead. “You know that, don’t you, Sehunnie? Hyung will make sure that you have nothing but the best.”

 

“When he had to move to New York, I thought that was it for me. That night when he told us he had to go, and you told me that we couldn’t be together, you looked so determined, sounded so final. Do you know how my heart broke that day? And the months after that, your heart and mind was just so preoccupied with him. You never returned any of my calls, you hardly texted me back.”

 

“I am sorry, Yifan. I hadn’t meant to. I was just so busy. There were so many things to help Sehunnie with before he moved.”

 

“I thought I had lost you to him.”

 

“Yifan, you have me. My heart is yours. It has been yours for a long time. I think you successfully claimed my heart somewhere between the first or second date. I wanted nothing more than to be yours, but it’s just that, look at him. How can I look at him, and not want him as mine? I can’t stand it, the thought of someone else having him.”

 

“But if it’s me, it’s alright?”

 

“If it’s you, it alright.” Yixing confirms. “I wanted to be the one to protect Sehunnie from all harm, but I realised I can’t do it on my own. Ronald Gredan proved that. Ronald Gredan very nearly put an alpha claim onto Sehunnie for this heat. Can you imagine that? How Sehunnie has been with us, would be how he would have been with Ronald Gredan. He would have been begging for Ronald Gredan’s cock all the time. The thought of that old geezer defiling Sehunnie makes me sick. And he wouldn’t have taken care of Sehunnie during his heat either. He wouldn’t have made sure that Sehunnie ate well, or if he were clean and comfortable. He would have just used Sehunnie as a fuckhole. That old bastard.”

 

“If he had done that, Lu Han wouldn’t have allowed Ronald Gredan to get away with it. Lu Han takes care of his employees, and he doesn’t back down from a fight. He wouldn’t have hesitated to sue.”

 

“Ronald Gredan already has a whole line of sexual harassment cases awaiting trial. Sehunnie’s case would have just been one of the cases waiting in line. Ronald Gredan has a whole team of lawyers protecting him, making use of every legal loophole imaginable, and he’s good friends with the Chief Justice. His cases don’t even go to trial, they just get postponed again and again. And even if we manage to nail Ronald Gredan in court, what good would that do? Sehunnie would already have been violated by him, and no legal compensation would have been able to undo that.”

 

 Yixing’s voice is strained with pain, and Sehun finds himself burrowing deeper into his hyung’s embrace, providing whatever comfort he could to his hyung. Sehun feels Yifan reaching over him, to embrace both Yixing and Sehun.

 

“But Ronald Gredan didn’t. We’re the ones who have got Sehun now, not him. And I promise you I’ll work with Lu Han to shield Sehun from Ronald Gredan from now onwards, alright? Sehun would never be put in a vulnerable position in front of Ronald Gredan ever again.”

 

“Ronald Gredan is just one alpha. He’s the first to have nearly put an unwanted alpha claim on Sehunnie’s heat, but he’ll probably not be the last. Sehunnie’s too pretty, he’ll bring out the worst in any alpha who meets him. They’ll want him, and they won’t care if he wants them back.”

 

A pause. Then Yixing asks, “Will you do it?”

 

“What is it? I would do anything for you, Yixing. You know that. You only need to ask.”

 

“Protect him, always. Not just for this one heat, but always. Sehunnie needs a strong alpha to protect him. A beta won’t be enough. Promise me you’ll protect him in the ways that only an alpha can, that a beta is unable to.”

 

“You’re asking me to scent-mark Sehun as my mate.”

 

“Yes. Lu Han scent-marked Minsoek as his mate, and Ronald Gredan didn’t even look at him. Ronald Gredan has no respect for the law, no respect for the human rights of omegas, but he respects an alpha’s claim. Mark Sehunnie as yours, Yifan. Protect him always as yours. Would you do it?”

 

“Yes, I give my promise to you. I will ask Sehun properly, after his heat is over, if he wants to be scent-marked as my mate. If he says yes, I would do it. I promise you that I would take care of him. And not only him, but you too. If you ever feel tired, if you ever need someone to take care of you, I will be there for you. I would scent-mark not only Sehun as my mate, but you too.”

 

“I love you, Wu Yifan.”

  
“And I love you too, Zhang Yixing. But I’m sure you knew that. I had thought I lost you forever, but here we are. Do you know how happy this makes me?” Sehun feels a warm hand stroking his hair and a kiss being planted at the back of his head. “All this time, I had been jealous of him, but all along, he was the way into your heart.”

 

Sehun feels the bed shift, then there a warm weight shifting over him, and he knows that Yifan must have leaned over him to kiss Yixing.

 

“I want you. Now.”

 

“You can have me. You can have me anytime you want. But do it here? I promised Sehunnie that I won’t let go of him, that I’ll hold him to sleep.”

 

The bed shifts again, and the next time Yifan speaks, his voice is coming from behind Yixing. He’s telling Yixing how pretty he is, how good he smells.

  
“Be gentle, alright? And slow. Sehunnie’s still trying to fall asleep. He’s almost there. I don’t want to disturb him.”

 

“So many conditions. Once Sehun’s heat is over, I’m bending you over and fucking you so hard that you can’t do anything but scream my name. You won’t be able to walk afterwards, and then it can be Sehun’s turn to look after you.”

 

“I’m looking forward to it.”

 

The bed dips and rocks, and Yixing’s breathing becomes increasingly strained, until he is gasping and whimpering. Sehun can tell Yixing is trying to stifle the sounds he makes, trying to hold himself still for Sehun’s sake, but Yixing cannot help the small sounds that escape his throat, the slight tightening of his hold on Sehun as his body tenses up. Sehun can hear the steady rhythmic _slap slap slap_ sounds of flesh hitting against flesh, and the bed under Sehun rocks in tandem with it, and it’s unbelievably hot, making Sehun _want_. Sleep is impossible now. Sehun sits up, and his two lovers are quick to pull him in to join them.

 

True to Yifan’s words, the shirt gets ruined when it gets ripped off Sehun’s shoulders, not a single button managing to escape unscathed.

 

 

THE END

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> This is a work of fiction, meant to exist only in fictional cyberspace, where no actual person gets hurt.  
> I do not condone unhealthy possessive relationships in real life at all.


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